The Brother Project
by Uozumi
Summary: Senior Sociology gets a project in which a pair of students spend time at each other's houses to gain a different perspective on life. slash. fin
1. Chapter One

I was originally going to do a Tasuki x Chichiri fic, but I really don't feel like it, so…

I was originally going to do a Tasuki x Chichiri fic, but I really don't feel like it, so…

I BRING YOU A HOTOHORI AND NURIKO FIC INSTEAD!

YAY!

::confetti::

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

**PREMISE**

Li "Hotohori" Xing-Shu and Tiao "Nuriko" Liu-Chuan are paired up for a simple Sociology project in which you spend one week at one students' house together, then the next week at the other students abiding by the other family's rules, etc… The idea is to see what it would be like to be a part of a different family, and then write about how your family's contrast and resemble each other. I couldn't think of a better name for this fic, so I named it after the project.

Enjoy.

**WARNING**

This fic contains **yaoi**, which means a **homosexual** relation ship between **two males**. If you do not like such a fic, please do not read this and tell me how horrible I am for writing this. If you subject yourself to things you do not like, then tell the author that you do not like it, it is not the author's fault that you read it anyway.

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter One**

The wind was billowing around him, threatening to undo the simple ponytail that held his pristine hair into a windblown mess. Placing his sunglasses on, the youth inspected his red convertible, then looked up at an anxious man ten years his senior. Watching the man squirm slightly, the youth finally smile cordially, then thanked him for his wax job before sliding into the front seat and turning on the motor.

Glancing at his watch, he smiled to himself, knowing that he was right on schedule and would arrive ten minutes before the ten minute bell, giving him enough time to make sure everything was in order for his day at school. He found school intriguing in some subjects and boring in others, yet the young man of eighteen managed to keep his grades in the High Honor Roll stature, also aided by many Honors classes.

Skillfully, he navigated his way to school, obeying all rules, and ignoring all the stares. The young man was from the Li family who had a monopoly on the electronics agency and had enough money to send him to any school he wished, but the young man decided that he was happy just going to the local private school.

Sliding into his parking spot, he got out, running his fingers through his stunning, glistening cinnamon locks, then shouldered his bag. The mid-March morning was warm and brilliant, vibrating that the day was going to be one of the better days of his life.

"WATCH OUT!"

His hazel eyes fixing on a multi-colored mess heading his way, his brain registered it was a person and skateboard just in time for them to become one on the ground illustrating the Chemistry term entropy. Groaning, the young heir began trying to discern whose arm was whose as the skateboarder threw out garbled apologies as he scrambled to his feet, extending a hand.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I hit the speed bump, and recovered, but you were there, and –"

Taking the apologetic senior's hand, the victim rose to his full height, a commanding seven inches taller than his assaulter was. "It's quite all right. You aren't hurt, right?"

"I should be asking you that!" his maroon eyes canvassing his peer, the boy in a backwards baseball cap with an impressively long braid thrown over his left shoulder during the fray furrowed his eyebrows in concern. "You don't seem to have bruised or cut yourself."

"Who are you?"

"Eh?" glancing up to meet the hazel eyes that were studying him as though they couldn't put a name to the face, the boy replied, "Liu-Chuan, but everyone calls me Nuriko."

"I'm Xing-Shu, yet you may call me Hotohori," the stylish young man shook his disorganized peer's hand.

"Hotohori? Like the star of the Hydra constellation?"

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing, just something I learned at home from Mom – Anyway," Nuriko looked around, "I have to go find someone."

"Who?"

"Oh just my dimwitted sister; she left her school satchel at our house again. See?" Nuriko indicated the satchel across his chest, his book bag over his shoulders.

Hotohori raised an eyebrow, "You must be very skilled to have a weight on your left side while you're skateboarding."

"Yeah, something like that," Nuriko hit his board with the tip of his sneaker, then caught it in his hand. "It's the only way to get to school."

"Then how did your sister get here?"

"Oh she got a ride from Tasuki-chan."

"Tasuki-chan? Never heard of him."

"You haven't?!" Nuriko's jaw dropped as they entered the school, "He's only the captain of about every team he's on!"

"You mean Chun-Yu Hô?"

"Yeah, although we all call him Tasuki."

"I noticed that it's always on his the back of his Ultimate Frisbee shirt," Hotohori turned down the senior hall, then raised an eyebrow, "Where are you going?"

"Locker."

"So you're a senior?"

"Yeah, I think we have a couple classes together, although I'm usually lost in my own little world 90.526 of the time."

Hotohori smiled at the percentage. Nuriko was very unique. First he had long hair, skateboard, and wore his Pittsburgh Pirates hat backwards, but then he was dressed in clothes you could find at Kohl's, not Hot Topic. Shaking his head at his generalized stereotypes, Hotohori paused at his locker, noting that Nuriko was across the hall from him, a large "NURI-KUN" sign adorning it. By the looks of the colorful swirls most likely a girl had made it for him.

"Like the sign?"

"Eh?"

"I saw you admiring it," Nuriko shut his locker, zipped his bag, carrying his sister's in his hands instead of over his shoulder. "If you want, I could ask Kang-Lin to make you one."

"No, it's quite all right," Hotohori nodded, scanning the contents of his locker. Satisfied he had everything, he turned to see Nuriko was leaning against the locker to his right as though waiting for him.

"Where you going first?"

"Government."

"I'm going to Econ, just next door," Nuriko gestured down the hall. "I'll see you around, oka –"

"NURI-CHAN, IS THAT MY BAG?!" in a swirl of a pink sweatshirt and whitewash jeans, a girl about his height tackled him, snatching up the satchel. Rummaging thought her bag, she smiled up at him, "Good! Everything's here!"

"You act like I would take something out!"

"You did it once before!" the young girl, her wavy hair done up in a bun, crowed, then blinked, taking in the young man to her brother's right. "Nuri-kun, who's this?"

"This is Hotohori," Nuriko smiled, "I just ran into him this morning."

"Mom told you to not hit speed bumps with your skateboard!"

"What makes you say I did that?"

"Well considering that there's a gash on his arm…."

Nuriko blinked as he and Hotohori noted the red mark on the sleeve of the fashionable dress shirt.

"Damn," cursing slightly, Nuriko sighed, "We should probably assess it before we take you to the nurse."

"But, wouldn't it be better to take –"

"No, not necessary unless it's infected."

"But –"

"Don't worry," Nuriko pushed Hotohori towards the restroom all we have to do is clean it and see if blood poisoning is a possibility."

"Blood poisoning?" Hotohori stared.

"Let's go!"

"It was nice knowing you, Hotohori!" Kang-Lin called after them, then squeaked as the one-minute bell rang.

"Please don't apologize again, Nuriko. The nurse looked at it, and said it'll be fine."

"But –"

Hotohori looked over at the young man to his left in their third hour class, "All they had to do was wash out the gravel, sterilize it, and then bandage it."

"Precisely why I'm apologizing! It must have hurt like a –"

"Okay, class, settle, we're beginning a new project today!" the young Sociology teacher clapped his hands, a bright smile on his scarred face. "Now, before you start protesting, I'm happy to announce that all your parents have agreed to it in advance, so no worries! Also, your partners have been picked after discussion with them as well so two best friends who practically live at each other's houses won't get each other!"

Nuriko slid down in his seat, "Why do I have a foreboding feeling?"

Hotohori raised an eyebrow. The prelude to the assignment sounded intriguing to him. He loved Sociology and Psychology, which prompted him to consider becoming a Psychologist, but he still wasn't sure if he wanted to cement the idea yet. He had been accepted to a local college, but he still hadn't decided on his classes, so there was still time to consider all of his options before committing himself to something.

"Alright, I'll assign the partners before we begin," his long bangs bobbing, the man in his mid-twenties quickly began reading the names off in alphabetical order according to the first partner in a group. "…Mr. Li and Mr. Tiao…"

"Mr. Li?" Nuriko glanced around, his naturally pale face contort into nervous apprehension. He knew that last name all to well, but was the heir to the electronics conglomerate really in his class? He knew that he went to his school, but still….

"Nuriko, are you okay?"

"Eh?" jumping, Nuriko turned to Hotohori, smiling disarmingly, "Oh, nothing, nothing at all, I – I just don't know who – yeah, I don't know who this Li guy is."

"Really?" Hotohori's eyes widened. He never fathomed Nuriko to be the nervous, insecure type, let alone that someone didn't know who he was. Didn't this young man own a computer?

"Y – Yeah."

"Oh, don't worry, Nuriko," he smiled, "it's me."

His come-hither eyes growing about as large as his pupils shrunk, Nuriko twitched, then fell out of his desk.

"Mr. Tiao, are you all right?" their teacher snapped from his listing.

"Y – Yeah, just peachy," Nuriko groaned, then sat back in his seat, giving his teacher the same smile that he had given Hotohori moments before, "Nothing's wrong, Mr. Ri."

Studying his student a moment, Mr. Ri raised an eyebrow, then read the last group before clearing his throat, "Now that you all have your partners, please move so you can sit beside each other."

The class obeyed, then waited for the next odd instruction.

"Now introduce yourself to your partner, and tell them how old you are, who you live with, stuff like that."

Nuriko turned to Hotohori, his maroon eyes returning to their normal size and expression, "You are the heir to Li Electronics?"

"Yes."

"My God – that means that I –"

"Please don't apologize again, Nuriko."

"But –"

"Come on, let's do as Mr. Ri instructed, and then we'll discuss it as we do that."

"All right, who's going first?"

"Well, I met your sister, got any other siblings?"

"Sometimes I wish I didn't, but I have an older brother," Nuriko sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I mean he's one of the most loving and caring older brothers anyone could have, but…well…."

"What? You don't have to continue."

"Oh, it's okay, he's just the biggest pansy, wuss – you name it, this side of Jupiter."

Hotohori smiled, noting that probably came from the same place as the "I'm usually lost in my own little world 90.526 of the time" comment.

"What about you?"

Hotohori blinked, "Eh?"

"What about you? Got any siblings?"

"Yeah," his hazel eyes darkening, Hotohori sighed, "Three brothers, two sisters, all older than me."

"Yeah, my brother's twenty-five, and my sister's going to turn sixteen in July – can you believe it? – Sixteen!" at Hotohori's expression, Nuriko's eyes softened, "What is it?"

"Nothing," shaking his head, Hotohori inquired, "Why do you board to school?"

"Oh, well, our brother still has the car since he works at Dad's shoe/sports store, you know, Wawasee Lake Sports Outlet?"

"Yeah, I know of it. That's your family's?"

"Since 1895, although it's not anywhere near Lake Wawasee."

"Where's that?"

Nuriko's jaw dropped. "Only eight hours from here up near Cromwell, Indiana."

"Indiana? That's a large leap, moving your business to Ohio."

"Yeah? Well, our uncle's running the original store up north, and we instantly got business when my parents moved out here in the sixties just after getting married since no one here really knows where a Lake Wawasee is. Although now most of the town knows since everyone comes to our shop for their sports equipment, or shoes."

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"Interesting…."

Falling into a lull, Nuriko glanced around, taking in the other students. "I wonder what's going down. I mean, look at these partners. Two boys, two girls…parental permission – this can't be good."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know, it's just, I've heard tales that our teacher can assign what seems like easy projects, but they're sort of embarrassing, or really hard in the end."

"Like what?"

"I never asked them to elaborate."

"Okay, class! Now to tell you what you'll be doing after school today and for the next two weeks!"

"'After school and for the next two weeks?'" Hotohori blinked.

"I told you, Hotohori; this can't be good."

"Alright," Mr. Ri caught his classes attention, then explained, "From today until Monday evening, you shall be spending all week with your partner at their house, living under their family's rules, etc…, and experiencing what it's like to come into a life you might never have experienced otherwise. After that week is up, you shall trade off, and spend the next week until that next Monday evening with your partner at their house as a trade off so you can experience the same.

"I have contacted all of your parents, and they have all willingly agreed to this project, and have set up who will stay with who first. This is an exercise in understanding others around you in your own community, and you shall write a paper that contrasts and compares your family to the other. I don't expect any two families to be exactly the same, so I do not expect a paper that says, 'Our families were identical and I felt as though I was truly home both weeks.'

"I'm looking for substance, and critical thinking. It's a reflective assignment, and a sociological assignment, thusly it's appropriate for what we will be studying for the next two weeks. There will be no length limit on this paper, I'm looking for what you got out of it, not how you can write a three-page report; understand?"

Mr. Ri surveyed the stunned looks, then smiled, "Any questions?"

More silence.

"Good, I wish you all a good experience."

The bell dimly echoing around the crowd, some bolted from their partners and the room, others walked out jabbering with each other, and still others sat in stunned confusion.

"Nuriko? The bell just rang."

"Really."

Hotohori nodded, "Where are you going next?"

"Chem AP."

"I'm going to Physics AP, just next door."

"Cool," numbly Nuriko rose, then slung his book bag over his shoulders, "Let's go then." Walking up to the door, he felt something hard connect with his nose. Glancing up, he blinked, then frowned, "Tasuki-chan, you and that binder are going to be the death of me."

"Well maybe ya should jest grow, Nuriko," the junior smirked.

Rolling his eyes, Nuriko sighed, "What are you doing here? Mr. Ri only teaches seniors this year, and somehow I doubt they'd let you take an advance chorus."

"Look, ya transvestite, I'm here cuz I'm his aid, an' –"

"Mr. Hô, please allow Mr. Tiao and Mr. Li to go to their next class. You will most likely see them later on today."

Pursing his lips, Tasuki shot Nuriko a glare as the older boy smiled in a "teacher's pet" sort of way before disappearing into the crowded hall with Hotohori behind.

"Why d'ya think he teases me all the time, 'Chiri?"

"Because you give him a reaction, and don't call me ''Chiri,' you know better."

Turning to the older man, Tasuki nodded, "Sorry, Mr. Ri."

Hôjin "Chichiri" Ri smiled at the young man, "Good. Now I need you to get me copies of a handout for next class…"

"Seriously?!" two copper colored orbs blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, seems Hotohori's going to be around for a week," Nuriko leaned back in his seat as his sister studied him from across the lunch table. "I mean today's your –"

"It's soup day!" crowing, a sophomore girl with a ponytail to the left side of her head happily set her tray on the lunch table, smiling, "How are you guys?"

"Peachy," Nuriko sighed.

"What's wrong, Nuriko?"

"Well, Miaka, it's like this…."

"Wow! Really?"

"Yeah," Nuriko nodded as Miaka mused it over.

"Then that means that he'll be over for –"

"Yeah, I know. I would really have wanted it to start next week, or even Tuesday, but he'll be over tonight."

"That sucks."

"Not necessarily," Kang-Lin caught their attention, "I mean, they did say that you two would have to get used to being a part of each other's families, so today is a good day for it?"

"But, Kang-Lin –"

"Don't worry!" the fifteen-year-old girl winked, "I don't think you have anything to worry about Nuri-kun!"

"K-L's right!" Miaka smiled, "Who knows? Maybe he's your soul-mate or something!"

"You know, Miaka, I really didn't need to hear that," Nuriko sighed again, staring down at his sandwich. The last thing he needed was even to consider that Hotohori could be his "soul-mate."

**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter Two

Thanks for all the encouraging reviews! You made my day, even in my darkest hour with my fic _Together Again_ (for the full rant see my bio), so…

I LOVE YOU ALL!

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter Two**

_"K-L's right!" Miaka smiled, "Who knows? Maybe he's your soul-mate or something!"_

'When I see her again, I'm going to kill her,' Nuriko began stuffing everything he didn't need into his locker. 'That comment's been haunting me ever since!' Muttering, he yanked his skateboard out, then adjusted his book bag before letting his finger slide through the back opening of his hat so he could carry it to the sophomore hall. Turning away from his locker, he paled, then blinked, "Hotohori? What's up?"

"I wanted to tell you that I'm going to go home and pack, then go to your house, but I don't know where that is, so…."

"So?"

"So, I'm offering to drive you and Kang-Lin home so I know how to get there later."

Nuriko stared, then nodded, "Let's go find her, so she knows before she surprises me like she did this morning."

"What she do this morning?"

"Get a ride and not tell me."

Hotohori stared a minute at Nuriko, unable to fathom why he would be so upset over a trivial matter such as how someone got to school. In his family that would just be a matter of some common sense, critical thinking, and then you would be on your way and not remember it at the end of the school day.

To Hotohori, Nuriko was definitely an enigma.

It was a small gray two-story ranch with a basketball hoop on the garage, a chain-link fence in the back, and an American flag in the flag holder. The flag was a permanent fixture since his mother believed that their family should always remember that they were now in America due to the hard work of their father and their paternal grandparents. Every day was Independence Day for their family in a metaphorical sense, so they should display their thanks by showing their love for their new country.

"This is our home," Nuriko smiled as Kang-Lin nodded from where she sat shotgun at Nuriko's insistence. "You think you can remember how to get back here?" Nuriko tossed his skateboard into the yard, then jumped out of the car as Kang-Lin stepped out, her roller blades on her shoulder.

"Yes, this is 5 Red Deer Drive; correct?"

"Yup."

"Then I'll see you at five; all right?"

"All right!" waving slightly as Hotohori drove away, Nuriko turned to Kang-Lin who had been staring at him.

"What?"

"Oh, your face."

"What about my face, K-L?"

"Nothing…" singing, the youngest Tiao child happily skipped into the open garage, her brother at her heels.

"Now, I would tell you to clean your room, but Mr. Ri said to make this house stay the way it is as though your partner was always part of our family, so…" a woman a little shorter than Nuriko pursed her lips, then sighed, "Go upstairs and do something to that cyclone room, so we can at least fit both of your mattresses in your room."

"Mama, how are we going to fit both of his mattresses into Liu-Chuan's room?" Kang-Lin inquired as her brother thundered up the stairs.

"Oh, Liu-Chuan will figure something out, he knows how to deal with a seven by eleven foot room already, and he has enough problem solving skills to help him out."

(A/N: My bedroom is seven by eleven and with all the crap in it, I couldn't possibly attempt to put both my mattresses on my floor, and I have the bear essentials in my room!)

"Ahahahahahahaha…" breathy, Nuriko's voice trailed as he surveyed the room packed with a full bed, a small dresser, a small bookshelf that was overflowing with anything and everything, a desk, and a night stand. "Well, it looks like there isn't any way around it, I have to create a fire hazard."

Stuffing his desk chair into his closet, he pulled his two-shelved double dresser so it went horizontally across the area behind the foot of his bed and behind where the mattress would go. Hurriedly he stripped the bed, throwing everything either on or behind his dresser before parting the regular mattress from the box springs mattress underneath. Then he threw the box springs mattress on top of the mattress, before placing the frame vertical in the air. Somehow managing to wheel the frame around the mattresses, he leaned it against his door, then set the box springs mattress down in the corner, the regular mattress beside it.

Sighing, his maroon eyes surveyed the room, and then he smirked, "This would be the perfect time for a fire, my door's locked, and my window's cut off…."

"Are you speaking to yourself again, Nuriko?"

Narrowing his eyes at the door, he sighed, "No, but I think I'm trapped."

Kang-Lin just laughed, "You can figure it out, Mama said so."

Shaking his head, Nuriko placed his regular mattress back on the box springs mattress, then opened his inward-swinging door to push the frame out before resetting the bed.

Hotohori surveyed his walk-in closet laden with clothes. They were all designer, fashionable outfits that definitely wouldn't jive with the Tiao's modest middle-class home. Searching, he secured several subdued shirts and slacks, reasoning that if he did live with them, he would have a job and could buy the least expensive articles in his closet.

Right?

Shaking his head, Hotohori chided himself for pondering it too long. He couldn't exactly put his favorite clothes in his duffle and suitcase if he hoped to truly be a Tiao.

Right?

Sighing, he zipped up the duffel and locked the case, then looked at himself in the mirror. He wore a black T-shirt he normally would put a jacket over, with khakis. If he had known this would occur he would have bought some jeans and clothes that came from Kohl's instead of a catalogue.

Automatically responding to a hesitant knock at the door, Hotohori bid the visitor entrance.

"Sir?" his mechanic folded his hands, "I heard about your order for me to drive you, and then return here with the car, but…"

"But…?" the heir raised an eyebrow.

"I figured since you found the car too gaudy for your excursion to your partner's house that you would like to borrow my clothes so you could hide your elegant upbringing."

Hotohori blinked. How many times had they joked that they could pull off a semi-_Prince and the Pauper_ joke since they wore the same size and were the same build?

Smiling, Hotohori nodded, "How can I repay you?"

"Well, you could let me have the car tonight…"

"When will he get here?" pacing Nuriko moved in rhythm with the opening music to _Yu Yu Hakusho_, which his sister watched almost religiously. (A/N: I love this show!) "I mean it's **six **o'clock! Perhaps he won't come, and –"

"Nuriko, do you know who you remind me of?"

Nuriko paused, gazing at his sister as the announcer proclaimed what had happened on Friday. "Who?"

"Subaru Sumeragi."

"Who?" Nuriko sighed. His sister was a mild-otaku (she was devoted, but not to the insanely scary obsessed factor over anime and manga), and he hated her analogies to characters he didn't know, let alone understand.

By the name, he had a premonition that it was from CLAMP, most likely _X/1999_, or _X_, or whatever it was called, and that meant that he wasn't about to understand it.

If he wanted to get a course in extreme symbolism, all he'd have to do was pick it up, especially volume 9, and he would ace any symbolism test you could throw at him.

That is, if he could understand it….

"Okay, let me go grab _X_, and –"

"No way!"

"But, Nuriko, you at least want to see who Subaru is, don't you?"

"No."

"But –"

"Just watch your show."

"But –"

Then, the bell rang, and Nuriko rushed to the door, ready to tell Hotohori off for being late. Flinging the door open, he opened his mouth to shout, then sighed, bowing his head, "Oh, it's only you."

The man in his mid-twenties stared, "What do you mean, 'Oh, it's only you,' Liu-Chuan?"

Nuriko closed the door behind his brother, shaking his head, "Everything."

The man stared, shocked, about to whine, when the doorbell rang again.

Thrusting the door open, Nuriko began to dig in instantly, "Where the heck have you been?! It's six o'clock, you were supposed to be here an hour ago, I mean –"

"Calm down," Hotohori smiled, "it's going to be just fine."

"No, it's not! Because of you we're going to –"

"Oh, that's right!" Nuriko's brother triumphantly presented him with a bag, "Happy birthday, little brother!"

Hotohori gaped, Nuriko sighed, and Kang-Lin left her show to come watch the antics.

"It's your birthday?"

"Why wouldn't it be Liu-Chuan's birthday?"

"But –"

"I mean, he was born on this day, and I remember it, so –"

"Okay, you two, if you're going to talk about me, include me in your conversation or shut up!" Nuriko turned on his heels. "I'll go put this in the kitchen, and –"

"Come in the kitchen and die!"

Nuriko stared from where Mrs. Tiao's voice had come from around the corner as Hotohori gaped anew. What kind of mother would tell her son that to do something would result in her killing him? Even _his_ mother didn't do that.

Kang-Lin studied Hotohori intently. After seeing Nuriko's reaction to the idea of him coming over, after linking it to Subaru Sumeragi, then how their relationship was that of Hokuto (his twin sister) and Subaru, the only logical thing her brain could sum up was Hotohori was going to be Seishiro Sakurazuka, and that was more than unsettling.

If he broke her brother's heart…

"Okay," the matriarch of the Tiao home appeared in the foyer, "What are you standing around here for? I need you two in the kitchen," she indicated Nuriko's siblings, then turned to Nuriko, gazing at him intently.

Blinking Nuriko gave an "Oh yeah!" then smiled, "Mom, this is Xing-Shu Li, but we all call him Hotohori."

"Good evening, Xing-Shu, we welcome you into our home. Liu-Chuan will fill you in on rules as he gets you settled into the room you will be sharing. We would love to provide you a separate room, but we have none to spare, and I projected that you would rather stay with Liu-Chuan than his brother." Smiling, she nodded her head, then turned to her younger son, "Well? What are you meandering here for? Go show him to your room!" making a swishing motion she herded them up the stairs, then returned to the kitchen to continue dinner preparations.

"This is my room as you can see it's economical, so stuff your stuff somewhere, and pray you remember where you put it, or just show me, because I know where everything is, even after messing it up farther."

Hotohori stared in horror at the mess, unable to fathom how someone could live in such clutter. How was he going to survive this for a week? What if it changed him so he created a grade A hurricane in his room?

His mother would kill him if that even remotely happened.

"Anyway, do you like spaghetti?"

"Eh?"

"Mama's making spaghetti, so you better tell her now if you don't like it, otherwise she'll go ballistic," Nuriko sighed, perching on his dresser, "I mean, I could tell that she now considers you her third son, so…well…

"Just be prepared for things you won't understand immediately.

"We don't use nicknames inside the house, but if you're in the backyard, or something like that we can use them. So remember, I'm Liu-Chuan, you're Xing-Shu, and Kang-Lin's Kang-Lin and not K-L."

"K-L?"

"K-L."

Hotohori filed the information away, his hazel eyes still taking in the room in disbelief. Would the rest of the week be so surprising? Could he survive?

Or, more importantly, could he survive Nuriko being at his house the next week?

Sighing, Hotohori glanced at the door when the knock came.

"Dinner's ready!" Kang-Lin announced, muffled.

"Okay!" Nuriko shouted back, then turned to Hotohori. "Prepare to be amazed."

**To be continued…**


	3. Chapter Three

DA! XD

I LOVE YOU ALL!

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter Three**

'Amazed is not the word…' Hotohori sighed inwardly as he gazed about the table. Nuriko and Kang-Lin took after their mother with graceful beauty and natural grace, whilst their older brother took after their father, but Mr. Tiao didn't look like the whiner type. There was myriad of conversation that went around the table, everyone was laughing, teasing, etc…

Hotohori was miffed.

"Okay, everyone finished?" Mrs. Tiao inquired, smiling.

"Yes," everyone choused, including Hotohori who wasn't sure why he had spoken with them.

"Then, I need Kang-Lin and Xing-Shu to get the presents, and…"

At that command, Hotohori looked around. Where would they be? He hadn't been a part of this family for more than an hour and a half, and already he was one foot in and one foot out. He felt compelled to go with Kang-Lin, but he didn't know where that was.

"Come on, Xing-Shu," Kang-Lin elbowed him gently from where she sat to his right, "let's go."

Nodding, Hotohori rose, then followed her up the stairs.

"So, Xing-Shu, what do you think of us?"

"Well, I've only been here for a little while, so I don't know yet."

Kang-Lin nodded, throwing back the hall closet. Rummaging around under a few blankets, she began hurtling boxes at her "brother." Immerging from the closet, she smiled, "Alright! Let's go back down and give him these!"

"But, I don't have –"

"Don't worry," Kang-Lin smiled, "I have a feeling that you will give him something that you can't wrap in a box."

Hotohori stared down at her as she winked, "Well, can't put in a box without air holes!"

"So, you ready for school tomorrow?"

Hotohori stared up at the dark ceiling, nodding slightly.

"Sorry if I'm keeping you up."

"It's okay, I just can't sleep anyway."

"…"

"…"

"Hey, Xing-Shu, we need to figure out how you're getting to school tomorrow."

"What?"

"Well, you see, Kang-Lin rollerblades, I skateboard, but you drive, yet we don't have a car to offer, and –"

"Liu-Chuan," Hotohori rolled over, his right arm propping his head up so he could study Nuriko's dark form, "I'm part of your family now, so I must get to school as though I truly had been born into this family."

Nuriko glanced up at Hotohori, whose hazel eyes glowed from the moonlight in the room. "Well, we have a bike…."

"Make that **had** a bike," Kang-Lin corrected as she, Nuriko, and Hotohori stood in the garage the next morning.

"Dammit, why can't he take care of his own things?!" Nuriko folded his arms, gritting his teeth.

"Who…?" Hotohori raised an eyebrow.

"Our brother," Nuriko sighed, "Now how do we get you to school…."

"I could wal –"

"COMING!" Kang-Lin scurried out the door, her white skirt billowing as she ran over to a simple, rusty, blue four-door pick-up truck.

"It's Tasuki," Nuriko perked, then grabbed Hotohori's jacket, "We can figure this out later."

"I can't believe that I had **two** hitchhikers!" Tasuki grouched as he strode into the building with twenty-five minutes to go until classes would begin, he and his three passengers drenched in the impromptu thundershower. "Ya squirreled around so much we coulda been inside by the time the fuckin' storm started!"

"Oh shush, you're just acting like a wet cat and –"

"Shut up, Nuriko, I don't want any of yer shit right now!" Tasuki's cinnamon eyes flashed in warning, "So jest go mind yer business somewhere else!" then he stormed off down the corridor.

"Good, Nuriko, you just lost us a ride home," Kang-Lin readjusted her rollerblades.

_"Tasuki, you can do better than this!"_

_"We didn't adopt you so you could suddenly start slacking off after getting good grades all your academic career!"_

_"Until you bring your grades up, you have no electronic privileges, which means no phone, no computer, no television, no music, and no electronic gizmos of any sort." _

_"And, if you can't bring up your grades, we'll throw you out come April."_

Gently Tasuki rapped his forehead against his locker. Pausing, he pursed his lips, shutting his eyes, "Dammit all. I couldn't wait to turn eighteen, but now…" Shaking, Tasuki bit his lip, his fingertips pressed against the locker door as he let out an audible sniffle. A burning sensation in his chest took over as something began to traverse his face, a tear.

Leaning against his locker, Tasuki glanced at his blurry watch, content to know that no one would be in the junior hall for at least ten more minutes. Sliding down, he kneeled before his locker, his left first near his heart, his right hand's fingers spread out on the locker's door. He had tried so hard since freshman year, but math kept getting harder along with his other subjects to the extent that he wondered if he had really ever gotten those straight A's in elementary school, and never had a C in middle school. Now he had a few A's, a few B's, and then a glaring D in Algebra II.

Feeling a presence to his right, a hand lightly resting against his back, Tasuki blinked, glancing towards the feeling. "Ch – 'Chiri…?"

The older man gave him a warning look that was obscured by compassion.

"Mr. Ri…?" Tasuki corrected, "What…?"

"Do you want to talk about it no da?"

"Talk about what?"

"You're crying no da."

Slowly Tasuki let his hand slide from the locker and wipe at his eyes, "I'm fine."

Chichiri stared intently at him.

Tasuki averted his eyes, "Well, uh…can we talk in your room?"

Chichiri nodded, rising, extending a hand to help the taller male up from the floor.

"I was reading this book…."

"Woah, Miaka reading books! Let alone something other than comics and _Harry Potter_! Be still my heart!"

"Shut up, Tamahome! Besides it's _manga_ not _comics_!"

Nuriko rolled his maroon eyes then scanned the door for their Study Hall teacher.

"Whatever," the seventeen-year-old junior wrote it off. "Anyway, as you were saying?"

"Well, I was reading this book, and in it there was this abused student that was more like a slave now to his parents. His grades had dropped, and –"

"Get to the point, we don't need a play-by-play, Miaka," Tamahome leaned back in his seat behind Nuriko just behind and to the left of Miaka.

"Well because he was so alone and distraught, he almost committed suicide, but then his teacher came and saved him."

"Okay, the point?"

"Stop interrupting!" Miaka swished a hand at him as Nuriko sighed.

"Anyway, the boy fell for his teacher because he had nowhere to turn, and to him the teacher represented love that he couldn't find anywhere else. Although he was really popular – the captain of any team he was on, all the girls wanted him – he was searching for something that seemed not triggered by his popularity –"

"Miaka, this is a soap opera!"

"No, it's not! You don't know what you're talking about, Tamahome!"

Nuriko pinched the bridge of his nose. As much as he loved his second cousin and his sister's best friend, he couldn't take much more of this pointless argument. Tamahome and Miaka were the types that flew off the handle at the stupidest things ranging from 'if you want to name a matrix, do you do rows by columns or rows by rows?' to 'how deep is the snow outside?'

Aggravation had a new name.

"Miaka, why are you telling us this story?" Nuriko cut in before Tamahome and Miaka could start screaming at each other.

"Because I thought it would be really cool if something like that happened at our school."

"Miaka, being in an abusive family wouldn't be 'fun.'"

"Nuriko, I didn't mean that part," Miaka swished a hand at the boy beside her. "I meant the idea of one of the boys and one of our teachers dating in secret!"

"Why would they want to date any of our teachers? They're all old hags – none over forty!" Tamahome's eyes reflected his disgust and disappointment at the myriad of wrinkling teachers.

"No, not a _female _teacher –"

"Miaka, that's disgusting –"

"No, it's not! It's 'true lov –'"

"Mr. Xong, Ms. Yûki, could you restrain yourselves from disrupting Study Hall for once?"

Both slid down in their seats muttering apologies as the bell toned.

"Okay, class," Mr. Ri addressed his fourth hour Sociology students, "let's share the craziest experience you had last afternoon no da."

Nuriko and Hotohori laughed with the other class at each mishap ranging from "siblings" telling them how to say dirty things (which he thought were perfectly clean) in a foreign language that was spoken at the house to a pet ferret that fell asleep in another students hair.

"Okay, Mr. Li, it's your turn no da."

Hotohori pursed his lips, then nodded, "My weirdest encounter was Mrs. Tiao threatening her own son on his birthday because he simply wanted to go into the kitchen –"

"Where she had my birthday cake!" Nuriko cut in. "You were so wigged about that, I saw it in your face. She didn't 'threaten' me, per se, just gave me a good reason to stay out of the kitchen, that's all."

Mr. Ri smiled to himself as Nuriko continued explaining it to Hotohori as the other interjected how others didn't do that. His mother would have done the same if he had tried to walk in on a birthday surprise. 'Probably said something like, "Come in here young man and I'll hang you flat out," or something like that…'

The bell toning, Mr. Ri wished them all luck on their second night, then watched them file out of the room, his eyebrows furrowing as he turned to look out the window.

"Hey," Tasuki strode into the empty classroom. Even though Chichiri had no class fifth hour, he still had an aid, which was a common practice among the teachers. Normally they picked a student that was struggling with a subject and could be trusted to unbiasedly grade papers.

"How's it going no da?" Chichiri averted his eye from the window to the five-foot-ten junior.

"It's getting better," Tasuki nodded. "What are we doing today?"

"Well, first no da, we'll have lunch, and then there's seventy multiple choice World History tests for you to grade, and I have twenty Modern World Civ papers to grade no da," Chichiri walked over to his desk, taking two stacks roughly about the same size from a bottom cabinet. "These are the tests, here's the key no da," he passed the larger stack and a yellow paper towards the redhead, then leaned back in his chair.

"I really don't want to grade these essays no da."

"Then don't."

Chichiri met Tasuki's brown eyes, then shook his hands, "You make it sound so simple. I've been putting these off since Valentine's Day no da."

Tasuki took his usual place facing Chichiri at the desk, perched on an extra stiff-backed computer chair. Reflexively he stretched his legs through the opening, gently resting his feet by Chichiri's so the wide part of his foot rested against the side of the bridge of Chichiri's foot. The fact he was sharing the desk with the teacher was common, most aides for free periods doing the same. It was just a common practice, mostly to gain confidence and trust in the more troublesome students, or, in their case, an inconspicuous way to be close.

Tasuki's eyes darkened as he began checking over the seventy fifty-question tests. He could still remember the circumstances that had brought about their meeting over two years ago…

_"I DON'T CARE AT ALL! YOU'RE JUST A STUPID BOY, AND WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING AT THE RATE YOU'RE GOING!" the words reverberated through the youths skull as he quietly judged the distance from his second-story bedroom window to the muddy ground below. He was a fifteen-year-old freshman just entering the second nine weeks, Halloween not faraway. His unruly carrot hair flew in the drizzle as he covertly moved quickly about the backyard, vaulting over the chain-link fence that led to the community path over a six-foot patch of muddy grass. _

_He had to get out since it seemed to be getting worse increasingly each year. He was a freshman, who had almost failed Algebra I the first nine-weeks of the school year, his Spanish II grade also hanging in the balance. Ever since he had entered junior high, his grades began to drop, but not enough to kick him off the school team (he'd need an F for that), but it was worse enough to incur punishment after punishment from his parents. _

_Skidding to a halt, he stared down at the tumultuous creek bellow a distant rumble adding to his pounding heart. The rain had been relentless ever since late September, almost a month ago, and the dismal creek had swelled into a formidable river, well above its normal bank. It seemed to call him, his brown eyes turning into a whitecap gray, a trance-like state overcoming his expression. No thoughts like, "Once I'm gone they'll be sorry," or "Woe is me," or any other stereotypical suicidal thoughts coursed through his head. His mind was blank, only the waves swirling in it, beckoning him, almost as though sirens were calling him as the wind began to pick up, thunder inching closer with each gust…._

"Tasuki no da?"

"Eh?" snapping from his memory, Tasuki met Chichiri's concerned gaze.

"You were thinking about it again, weren't you na no da?"

Tasuki averted his eyes, nodding quietly. "I guess I can still create the trance. It's been almost two-and-a-half years, and I still can get swept up in that creek each time."

"They say that people long for water when they're under great stress no da," Chichiri murmured. "That was pretty hard this morning no da, what they did and said no da."

"Yeah," Tasuki nodded. "Especially when they said they'd throw me out on my birthday, and by the look in Dad's face, it's going to happen. They're fed up with me, they watch me study every night, but it's to no avail, or maybe it's what's messing me up, but…" the boy sighed, then shook his head, "What should I do, 'Chiri?"

"First, remember to call me Mr. Ri no da," the twenty-four-year-old reprimanded Tasuki again. "Next, if they ever throw you out, come to me. I'll take you in instantly no da. I would have rescued you before this, but it wouldn't have worked out no da. If they do throw you out once you're emancipated, then come to my place no da.

"My door is always open, Tasuki."

Tasuki nodded, "I know."

"Good, no da," Chichiri rested his smaller hand over Tasuki's, smiling slightly as he ran his thumb over the rough, tanned skin. "Good."

**To be continued….**


	4. Chapter Four

Somehow, this seems to be turning into a TazChi fic more than a NuriHoto fic…

So, I guess this is now a NuriHoto _and_ TazChi fic!

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter Four**

"…How long must I slide, I separate my side…I don't, I don't believe in space…" "Other Side by Red Hot Chili Peppers wafted through the medium sized bedroom as the owner of it sang gently. He had no electronic privileges, which meant staring up at his ceiling in the dark contemplating what time it was. His mom would wake him at six in the morning – whenever that would come – and he would go pick up Kang-Lin Tiao because his parents reasoned that taking away his car would be a little extreme.

What would it be like if he _did_ get kicked out of his home and had to live with Chichiri? He could still remember that moment when two arms encircled his waist, a desperate voice telling him that he was wrong as the arms pulled him from where he stood at the end of the bridge…

_The water was calling him, beckoning him. Glancing around, the freshman quietly took a grip of the wet wood of the bridge's railing, wincing at a splinter that shot through his left thumb. Gritting his teeth, he heaved his five-eight frame up onto the platform, inspecting the water bellow. The wind pushed him towards it as he raised his arms out like a cross to buffer the gale, still enchanted with the swirling water. _

_Shutting his eyes, he raised his head upward as a loud noise brought him reeling backwards, arms accompanying the dizzying voice that broke him from the dream. "What are you doing no da? It's lightning and thundering – you could get hurt no da. What the hell did you think you were doing no da? – You. Could. Have. Been. Killed. No. Da."_

_His vision returning, the fog lifting, the teenager stared into a ghastly cicatrix and a soft, mahogany eye. "Wha…? What's goin' on?"_

_"That's **my** question no da," the man with the cicatrix's voice spoke gently as the boy began to note the man's hands were on his shoulders. At the resounding crack only a quarter-mile away, the older male rose, pulling the younger up with him, "We need to get inside now na no da," then, before the freshman could protest, the twenty-something had pulled him across the street and into a modest, bungalow. _

_Shutting the door as thunder rocked the puny home, the man removed his trench coat, inspecting the boy in a sweater and jeans. "You're soaked no da."_

_"No shit, Sherlock," the teenager's wit began to resurface. "I gotta get home anyway, so I'll be seein' ya…."_

_"I'll take you home after the storm passes, or you could call your parents no da, and –"_

_"No," the teen hastily shook his carrot hair, splattering the man with rain, "that's quite all right."_

_"I'll be back, stay right there no da," at the gesture and tone, the teen straightened slightly, musing that this man could be a teacher. Who else could have such power over him asides from his wacky adoptive parents? _

_"Here no da."_

_The boy caught the jeans, shirt, and towel instantly. _

_"Bathroom's down the hall no da, kitchen's just across from it, which is where I'll be no da. Get changed, and we'll dry your clothes as we wait out the storm no da."_

_"Uh…."_

_"Yes no da?"_

_"Um, I'm Tasuki Hô," the boy offered. _

_The man smiled, "I'm Chichiri Ri, it's a pleasure to meet you na no da, so go change so I can say I know you and not knew you na no da."_

Sighing, Tasuki sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before groaning. What time was it? Was it a sane time to wander downstairs? Groggily he assessed the moonlight flooding his room, then sighed again. He still could feel that fifteen-year-old version of him deep inside as the thunder rumbled outside.

Maybe if he tried it again…

Snorting, Tasuki flopped back down on the bed. He still couldn't believe that he and that man who saved him were something now. Three years ago he would never have guess that he would fall for a man who saved his life…

A man…

Growling slightly, Tasuki cursed his fate and Chichiri's. If he hadn't said **anything** a year ago… But, Chichiri was receptive and told him that he felt the same and to wait until he graduated before doing anything major, but still…

'Perhaps when I live with him, something will come of it,' Tasuki mused, staring at his wall. 'I mean, we'll finally have some time alone, away from everyone…' smiling slightly, Tasuki closed his eyes, his dreams pleasant for the first time in a week.

"Can you sleep?"

"No."

Nuriko sighed, staring at the flickering lightning on the ceiling as another rumble rattled the dishes downstairs. "Now what?"

"I don't know," Hotohori stared up at the plaster with him.

"You want to do something?"

"Like what?"

Nuriko sat up, his heart jumping with each house-shaking rumble. "We could figure out what's so hot about _X_."

"_X_?"

"Some comic by some people named CLAMP or something like that…" Nuriko climbed over his dresser, "I think Kang-Lin left them here for me to read, so…" hanging over the dresser, he let out a small grunt as he felt the edge push at his waist. Flopping back into a sitting position, Nuriko help up two handfuls of books, "Here's one through eight, and…" again, Nuriko hung over the dresser, one leg up in the air, his arm straining to grasp something near the window. "ACK!" Nuriko began flailing, "I'm stuck!"

"Stuck?" Hotohori sat up staring.

"Yes, stuck! Get me out of this mess, idiot!"

Hotohori blinked, then shook his head, "No."

"Why not?"

"You called me an idiot."

"Would you have preferred dimwit?"

"No, and if you call me anything like that again, I'll just leave you there forever."

"Oh come off it, Xing-Shu!"

"Off what?"

"…" making a heave-ho sound, Nuriko rocked back, _X/1999: Volume 9: Requiem _safely in grasp. "For that, I'm not sharing."

"Whatever."

Nuriko raised an eyebrow, glancing at Hotohori's silhouette. It had only been twenty-four hours, but once inside the house, Hotohori definitely had taken on some of the Tiao children's necessary characteristics: pretend you don't care to drive the person crazy, be sarcastic, and apathetic depending on the cause.

'How wonderful…' Nuriko mused, then rifled through the shelves of the dresser.

"What are you doing?"

"Weeding, go away."

"Look, Liu-Chuan, about what I said –"

"Got it!" instantly Nuriko turned on Hotohori catching his peer's eyes in the gleam of the flashlight. "Ha, take that Chameleon Boy!"

Hotohori rubbed his eyes, "'Chameleon Boy?'"

"You bet!" Nuriko sat cross-legged adjusting the severity of the gleam, "You act one way at school, then another way here, and I bet you that you act totally different at home."

Hotohori stared, then frowned, "Preposterous!"

"'Preposterous' my ass!" Nuriko sighed, "You need to go to a psych to get that checked out, man."

"I think not."

"I think so."

"I think not."

"I think so."

"Not –"

"So –"

"Not –"

"So –"

"So –"

"Not – GYAH!" Nuriko fell backwards as Hotohori smiled in triumph, "I can't believe I fell for that."

"Neither can I," Hotohori illuminated his watch, "It's 2:15, we should get some sleep."

"Okay…" shutting off the flashlight, Nuriko curled up into a ball, his back to Hotohori. He still couldn't sleep, and didn't know why. He was put out like a drug when thunderstorms rose up, but why couldn't he sleep now? It wasn't Hotohori's breathing – they were in perfect synch, but still… Sighing, he closed his eyes, deciding to leave it a mystery.

**P**

**R**

**O**

**M**

"My God, they start earlier every frickin' year," Tasuki ripped down the colorful sign that was hanging vertically from the ceiling.

"But, you can go this year," Kang-Lin noted, sighing.

"Just because I kin go doesn't mean I'm gonna," Tasuki grouched, crumpling up the sign and throwing it in the nearest trashcan.

"I see…."

Nuriko glanced at Hotohori, who raised an eyebrow. Motioning with his head, Nuriko met the taller boy's hazel eyes. Nodding, Hotohori followed him down the hall and into the atrium.

"So, how long has Kang-Lin liked Tasuki?"

"Since forever," Nuriko sighed as they made their way to the senior hall. "I think she's got her heart set on going to Prom with him or something."

"Her and every other girl in this school I bet."

"Something like that," Nuriko stepped over to his locker, then sighed, "I hate it when they gear up for Prom every year. I just feel this indescribable pressure overtake me, even after I secured a date last year for it."

"You have a date already?"

"No, I meant when I secured a date for last year's Prom," Nuriko shut his locker as Hotohori crossed over to him, "This year, I'm thinking of skipping."

"Why? I've been waiting for this year's a long time," Hotohori murmured as they turned down to their first hour classes.

"Why?"

"Because I have someone to go with."

Nuriko paused, his eyes widening, "You have someone…?"

"Not as a date," Hotohori replied, "Just someone to go with, that's all."

"You're trying to get me to go, aren't you?"

"Perhaps…."

Nuriko made a face, then grred, "Fine! I'll go! We can pick up chicks or whatever! Happy?"

Hotohori smiled, "Perhaps."

Nuriko twitched, then chased his "brother" into his first hour classroom, "I'll 'perhaps' you!"

"So, you're taking Kang-Lin to the dance no da?"

"Yeah, somehow I found myself embedded into a mess, an' – BAM! – I've got a date to a dance I really don't wanna go t'."

"You're so nice, Tasuki, no da."

"Yeah, whatever," Tasuki continued transferring typed notes onto a transparency.

"Although," Chichiri paused in his red pen fest, "I should give you fair warning no da."

"Fair…?"

"I'm signed on as a chaperone no da," Chichiri grabbed Tasuki's hand before he could shoot upwards, screeching. "Don't go ballistic no da, what's done is done no da, and we can't change it, unless you want to break Kang-Lin's heart no da."

Tasuki calmed, leaning back in his seat, a small comfort that Chichiri's hand still held his permeating through him, "Yer right.

"As usual."

"LIU-CHAN, XING-SHU, GUESS WHAT! GUESS WHAT! GUESS WHAT!"

"You want to win the championship for the highest voice a girl can muster?" Nuriko stuck his fingers in his ears, wincing.

"No, stupid! Tasuki asked me to the Prom!"

Nuriko glanced at Hotohori, both wondering how Kang-Lin had finagled that one.

"I'm happy for you," Hotohori smiled from where he sat by Nuriko doing homework on the sofa.

"Oh! Liu-Chuan, guess what!"

'Not again…' "What?"

"Tamahome asked Miaka to Prom!"

With a loud bang that rattled the porcelain in the other room, Nuriko beat his sister's squealing record, _"HE WHAT?!"_

"Liu-Chuan, keep that voice down!"

"Yes, Mama!" Pausing, Nuriko gazed at the spot where the voice had come from, then whispered, "He what?!"

"Tamahome asked Miaka to Prom," Kang-Lin blinked, "That's all there is to it."

"Where have you been since your first grade year?" Nuriko rapped his knuckles gently on his sister's head. "Tamahome and Miaka have been bickering ever since they met. I guess she owes him money, or something like that…Anyway, what would possess him to ask Miaka to the Prom?"

"Why? You want to ask her again this year?"

Twitching, Nuriko lunged for the youngest Tiao when his mother's voice reprimanded him from the doorway this time, "Liu-Chuan, what the heck do you think you're doing to your sister? Terrorizing her like this…especially on the day she bounds in here all smiles –"

"Mama, Kang-Lin does that everyday!"

"Don't you interrupt me, young man."

"But –"

"That's it! Kitchen duty!"

"Wha…?" Nuriko's jaw hit the floor. "Kitchen duty?!"

"Yes, mister, now get your rear in gear, you have a lot of work to be done."

_"T – Tama – Tamahome?!"_

"Keisuke, you don't have to yell, you know," Miaka crinkled an eyebrow, holding the eraser of her pencil to her temple.

"You didn't say 'yes' did you?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't say yes?"

"Well, considering you two have been mortal enemies since your first day of kindergarten…."

"Oh, that?" Miaka brushed it off.

"'Oh that? _OH THAT?!'"_

"Keisuke, you're going to kill yourself," Miaka murmured, then looked up at him, "I get it."

"What?"

"You're jealous!"

"Jealous?"

"Yeah, you never went to Prom ever, and here I am going as a freshman!"

"I'm only think of your safety –"

"Don't worry," Miaka leaned back in her chair, smiling, "We might bicker constantly, but Tamahome would never hurt me. That's why I said yes."

Keisuke studied his younger sister, then sighed, "I don't understand you at all."

"That's why you're the brother!"

"Why you –"

"WE OVERSLEPT!" Nuriko slapped his skateboard to the ground, hurriedly pushing it down the driveway. "I CAN'T BELIEVE KANG-LIN RUNNING OFF WITHOUT THE DECENCY TO WAKE…" pausing, Nuriko stopped his skateboard, then stared.

Wasn't Hotohori just behind him?

'Damn, where is he?' Nuriko's maroon eyes darted about, 'I can't afford to waste anymore time!

'What time is it anyway?' Nuriko skidded to a stop, then blinked, 'Two twelve?! MY WATCH STOPPED?!' Throwing out a string of words that would even make Tasuki blush, Nuriko sped down the street, praying it really wasn't two twelve.

"Okay class, today we'll –"

A flurry of jeans and black flew into the room, materializing itself into Nuriko as it took the seat to Hotohori's left. "Sorry I'm late, Mr. Ri, I had technical difficulties getting to school today."

"That's quite all right, Nuriko na no da, you can just in time for an experiment no da."

"Experiment…?"

"Okay, now the quickest way to build a bond between two people of any gender is dancing!"

Nuriko stared at their guidance counselor/ballroom dance team instructor and then looked to Hotohori.

Dancing…?

"Now, the trick to dancing isn't what you know, experience, etc…" the guidance counselor continued, "It's who you dance with that it's all about. So, pair up! Take your hands in the hands of your partners –"

Hotohori looked down at Nuriko, then gently took the shorter boy's hands.

"Now, we're going to play music, so dance however you see fit to warm up."

"However we see…?" Nuriko stared, then smiled as the song began, singing along with the voice.

"I don't want to say I'm sorry,

"Cuz I know there's nothing wrong,

"Don't be afraid, There's no need to worry,

"Cuz my feelings for you are so strong –

"Hold me in your arms," Nuriko slipped into falsetto, while some others around him choked on the note, his practice singing with Kang-Lin paying off, "And never let me go.

"Hold me in your arms,

"Cuz I need you so.

"I see it in your eyes,

"There's something,

"Something you wanna tell me,

"I see it in your eyes,

"There's something,

"That you hide for me –"

The whole group was a blur of motion, everyone bouncing and jumping to "Something" by Lasgo. With the guidance counselor signing like a teenager, even the people most intimidated by human contact were singing and dancing along in the LGI room.

After the song had ended, the guidance counselor clapped her hands, smiling, "Now for a slow song."

At the magic word, "slow," half the groups were on opposite walls from each other.

"Oh come now," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "It's not going to kill you! We're all in the same situation here so no one can call you by sexual slurs!"

Hesitantly some regrouped, whilst others held out.

Nuriko's maroon eyes cast about the hall. Pursing his lips, he looked up at Hotohori, whose hazel orbs were doing the same. Sure they might be "brothers," but still…

"Okay, bonus points!" Chichiri sighed, watching as the class instantly obeyed at the magic words.

"What ya doin'?"

"Adding a bonus point to my entire fourth hour class, you?" Chichiri lowered his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Tasuki let his bag slip to the floor as he pulled his chair up to the desk, "Home come ya addin' all those points?"

"Bribery to dance with their assigned partners no da."

Tasuki whistled, leaning back in his desk. "Why can't people jest not think about it all the time? I mean, when we were in kindergarten, no one woulda thought twice."

"That's because they're not kindergartners anymore, Tasuki, no da, they're seniors. They think about it because they themselves might know if they are, nor don't want to know na no da. This is a time of self discovery, and there are still some things that haven't been worked out in their conscious minds yet."

"But –"

"Yes, you might know what you want no da, but that doesn't mean the other do na no da. Some people grow and mature faster or slower than others, and you can't shove public opinion out of your head all the time no da."

"I guess…" Tasuki nodded, "Anythin' t' grade?"

"Yes, but they're all things I must do – you know, essays, etc…so technically there's nothing here for you to do na no da."

"Then give me sumthin'," Tasuki pounded a fist on the table, "I don't wanna go t' study hall like the others do when their teacher doesn't need 'em 'round."

Smiling, Chichiri nodded, "I already spear-headed that request no da. Here are some things I need stapled. Take your time, we have an hour and a half, you know na no da."

"Hey, Nuriko, I got a favor to ask you."

"What is it," Nuriko turned to look over at the young man who had seized his arm, "Tamahome?"

"Well, you know how I'm taking Miaka to Prom?"

"Yeah."

"You know her friend Yui Hongo?"

"Sort of…."

"Well, Miaka was wondering if…"

"No, I won't ask Yui to the Prom! We don't know each other well enough for that!"

"No, that's not what I meant, and I already know you're going, so that's not an issue, but Miaka really wants Yui to go…"

"Spit it out, Xong."

"Convince Yui that Suboshi should take her to Prom – catch you later!" waving, Tamahome drops my arm, then rushes off to the freshman lockers.

"But isn't Suboshi in their grade…?" I murmur, then furrow my eyebrows. "How dare you, Tamahome! I'll get you for this!"

All Nuriko could hear was Tamahome's laughter fading as he tried to figure out how to find and convince Yui that she should go to Prom with Suboshi, who's a sophomore, and…

'WAH! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, TAMA-BABY, JUST WATCH ME!'

**To be continued…**


	5. Chapter Five

Thanks for all the awesome reviews guys! I love you a lot!

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter Five**

'Okay, I have to convince a freshman that a sophomore should take her to prom when even he can't go…' Making a face, Nuriko groaned.

'How does this one work again, or can I get off this ride?' glancing around, he rode the edge of the railing on the railing of the fence that keeps people out of the school's garden. Doing a few more tricks, he sighed, then perked.

Short, blonde hair, bright blue eyes… Shaking up to her, he called out, "Hey, Yui!" before his brain let him think.

"Huh?" the girl blinked, then smiled, "Oh, hi, Liu-Chuan."

"Hey, Yui, I'm playing middle-man here," Nuriko flipped his skateboard up so could carry it as they walked towards her house, "and I have to tell you something from Miaka to Tamahome to me to you."

"What is it?"

"Go to the prom with Suboshi."

She froze. "And, how does that one work? First, he can really be annoying – I like his twin better, and second, how can he go? He's a sophomore!"

"I don't know, I'm the middle-man," Nuriko held up his hands.

"I don't want to go with him," she shook her head, "but I'll talk with Miaka. If I had my way, I wouldn't go to prom, but if I was and she wasn't, I'd want her to come too, so I'll see what we can work out together."

Nuriko nodded, "So, what do I tell them?"

"Don't. Tell Tamahome to mind his own business and I'll talk to Miaka, okay?"

Giving her a thumbs-up, Nuriko smirked.

He should have told Tamahome that in the first place.

"Well, it's Friday!" Nuriko greeted Hotohori early in the morning. "Ready for our last school day as brothers staying at my place?"

He nodded sleepily, changing into the clothes he brought to blend into Nuriko's family. "On Sunday, you'll become my brother."

"Again," Nuriko noted, twirling his cap on his pointer finger. "So, what have you written about us?"

"Secret."

"Oh, come on, Xing-Shu, I'm your older brother!"

"Older?" Hotohori blinked.

"Yeah, you said your birthday was over Spring Break, whereas mine is about a week before that," Nuriko laughed. "Come on, let's get breakfast and then bum our ride off Tasuki, okay?"

Hotohori nodded and they hurried out the door and down to the kitchen.

"Now, on Monday, I expect the completed reports from those of you who shall return to your own houses to introduce your host to how you live," Chichiri scanned his students as the bell rang, "Class dismissed."

Standing, Nuriko looked to Hotohori, "Okay, brother dear, ready for lunch?"

"Yeah," Hotohori nodded.

Head to the door, Nuriko paused, then glanced down both ways of the hall.

"What?"

"Nothing…Just wondering where Tasuki is," he pursed his lips. "You know, he didn't come pick us up, remember? His dad called to say he wasn't coming; it was strange.

"I've got a bad feeling."

Chichiri looked up at the clock, then glanced at his door. Picking up his telephone, he pressed outgoing and dialed in a number he had written in his address book just in case. After three rings, someone on the other line picked up.

"Hello."

"Hello, is this the Hô residence?"

"Why, yes it is, this is Mrs. Hô speaking."

"Ah, Mrs. Hô, could you put your son on the line? This is his teacher, Mr. Ri, and I would like to know if he would like me to pick up his assign –"

"No, no need," the woman spoke as though she was wearing a syrupy smile. "Tasuki should be in school tomorrow, and shall pick them up then."

"Could I speak with –"

"Thanks for calling; goodbye."

Then there was dead silence on the receiving line.

Blinking a few times, Chichiri stared at the telephone, then placed it in the hook.

This did not bode well.

If there was anyone who had ever fervently counted the days to their next birthday, it was Tasuki. Staring up at his ceiling, he considered the exchange he had with his parents, and how he would have stormed out the door, but he blacked out, and woke up in his room at about nine o'clock with a splitting head ache, breakfast on his desk, door locked. He wondered if this was what it might be like to be Harry Potter. Counting down to your birthday so you could lave a God-forsaken place, hoping that someone would rescue you, waiting for that day when you could leave forever to come.

He wanted to sneak out the window and run away to Chichiri's place, but he knew better. Chichiri told him once that no matter what happened, he should stay put. It would be too suspicious if he left before he turned eighteen, also dangerous, because it would entail legal matters that would take years to solve and bring Tasuki more pain. As much as neither liked the arrangement that would end on the eighteenth at three in the afternoon when Tasuki was officially eighteen, they both had to accept it.

It was only a few more weeks, he could take it. He just had to do what he had been doing all this time, accept it. His father had even said that he was going to kick Tasuki out after the clock struck three on the eighteenth of April, so he had an alibi to seek residence with Chichiri. No one would think that it was odd, most teachers took in troubled students, and no one suspected that there was anything odd about their relationship in the slightest.

Psyching himself out more than up, he sighed. Who was he kidding? He couldn't survive almost another month with these crazy people. He just had to keep moving, had to keep hanging on, but could he do it? Could he wait until the eighteenth? Could he _survive_ until the eighteenth?

Picking up a book he hid under his pillow, he opened it to the bookmark, then began to read, one of the few things he had left.

Chichiri pursed his lips, then picked the telephone back up. Someone had to do something. Dialing in one of the telephone number that the school provided, he took a deep breath, then spoke steadily, "Hello? Yes, I'd like to speak to the person in charge of child abuse."

**To be continued…**


	6. Chapter Six

Thanks for all the awesome reviews guys! I love you a lot!

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Six

Chichiri pursed his lips, then picked the telephone back up. Someone had to do something. Dialing in one of the telephone number that the school provided, he took a deep breath, then spoke steadily, "Hello? Yes, I'd like to speak to the person in charge of child abuse."

Darien Suzaku stared at his telephone. He hated his job when he was waiting, but it was the rescues that made it worth his while. He was glad that he didn't have to rescue someone so often, but still, he wished that a case would come his way before he went stackers.

He almost got down on his knees and prayed when the telephone rang.

He now had a job!

Tasuki stared up at his ceiling, Airforce One open facedown on his stomach. It was so quiet, he could hear his mother doing dishes downstairs. Glancing at his watch, he frowned. Right now, if he had his way, he could have been coming out of Chichiri's classroom and going to sixth hour. Yet, here he was stuck in a room, locked up, nothing but a book and the occasional housekeeping noise to keep from driving him insane.

Sitting up, he threw the book, watching it skid across the room and hit his dresser. He had had enough! THE END!

Getting up, he glanced at his door, then slowly walked over to his window, opened it, and then pursed his lips. His mother was doing dishes, she would see him.

And then, the doorbell rang.

He wasted no time, vaulting out the window, he landed perfectly bellow and started off at a run, climbed up the chain-link fence that separated his house and a new development, and kept running, never looking back.

Nuriko felt uneasy. Slowly he pushed his feet, glided a bit in his skateboard, all the while lost to his thoughts. He was subconsciously riding slowly so he could keep Hotohori in sight behind him, but he just had to think. He was restless, and wanted to check on Tasuki. Tasuki and he had known each other since forever, and Tasuki had invited Kang-Lin to Prom…

"What's wrong, Nuriko?" Kang-Lin bladed beside him. 

"Nothing," he lied. He didn't want her to know what was bothering him. She had always liked Tasuki, and Nuriko didn't want her distraught with what could be an unfounded paranoia.

"Something's wrong," Hotohori frowned from where he was striding behind them. "We can tell, Nuriko, we are you siblings after all."

Nuriko glanced at Hotohori. It was odd, but it was true. Hotohori was definitely a brother to him now. He was family, maybe even more, but definitely Nuriko had a closeness to him that he couldn't describe. It was different from what he felt to his own brother, but somewhat the same simultaneously. "It's Prom," he lied again, "I was just thinking about how I don't have a date."

"Then go without one," Hotohori commented, "That's what I'm doing."

Nuriko stared, "You don't have a date? You could have anyone in the school!"

Hotohori shrugged. "I just couldn't find the right girl."

Kang-Lin grinned, "You dog! You could have anyone, and I know you like someone!"

Hotohori stared.

Kang-Lin continued grinning, but said no more on their way back to the Tiao home.

Chichiri shuffled his papers again. He didn't like this. He wanted to be there, he wanted to take Tasuki home with him, but he was stuck here, and had made the call anonymously. Tasuki would most likely have been taken to one of his sister's homes, however they were all very faraway…

He knew what he did was right, but what would be the repercussions of that action? Of course, there would be a trial, but what evidence did they have? Could they settle out of court?

He needed to talk to Tasuki. He wanted the younger man's input – it was he whose fate they were going to decide, it was he who would make the ultimate decision about settling in or out of court; putting his parents in jail or not. He knew that Tasuki knew that he would gladly give him safe haven, but how could he tell the police? What would they ask?

Should Chichiri have done this anonymously?

He pursed his lips, and then almost fell off his chair when someone cleared their throat at the doorway.

"Oh! Mr. Genbu, what can I do for you?" he addressed the principal.

"I'm visiting all the teachers that communicate with Tasuki Hô on a regular basis…."

Chichiri's heart fell. Mr. Genbu was not about to tell him that the youth had committed suicide or worse! Not at all!

"…and I wanted to have you all on the lookout."

"Lookout, sir?" Chichiri raised an eyebrow. On the lookout for Tasuki? What was going on? Hadn't the police taken the parents to jail and Tasuki into custody until someone would take him in?

"Yes, a child protection service officer went to call on him home a little one today, and when he and Mrs. Hô went to check on Tasuki, he was gone. He ran away before he could have been rescued."

"So, you think he might try to go to one of our houses?"

"Yes," Mr. Genbu nodded, "He was always closest with teachers even though he was the captain of any team he was on, a very odd 'jock' as these teenagers call them."

Chichiri nodded, "Thank you for alerting me, Mr. Genbu. Should I notify the police when he comes?"

"Yes, although they'll let him stay with whomever he takes refuge with. They want him in the area, and his closest relative is in Omaha, Nebraska."

Chichiri nodded, smiling, but as soon as Mr. Genbu left, the smile faded, and he got up, grabbed his keys and hurried to his car.

He had to find Tasuki!

Nuriko was pacing in the front room as Kang-Lin turned on the television to watch her favorite anime on television since Dragonball Z.

"Could you stop that?! I can't concentrate with your infernal pacing!"

Nuriko grumbled something, but continued. He had this horrible feeling about Tasuki. He didn't like it, he wanted to act, but couldn't. He wanted to go to Tasuki's house, but felt he shouldn't. He knew it was right to stay put, but still hated it.

"Liu-Chuan, you're going to wear a hole in the carpet," Hotohori entered the room, Economic book in hand. He had gotten into watching television with his "siblings," but knew that he wouldn't have such a luxury when he went back home on Monday.

"I don't care! I just – I just –"

"You just are going to tell us what is bothering you," Hotohori finished. "We want to know, Liu-Chuan; we want to help."

"There's nothing either of you can do! There's nothing I can do about it, either!" the oldest in the room frowned. "I don't like it, but I just know we can't do anything."

"How do you know that?" Kang-Lin shot him a glare, giving up on watching Yusuke fight Rando in peace.

"I just do! It's in my gut. I know something's wrong, but I know I need to stay here, you know what I mean?"

Hotohori and Kang-Lin shook their heads.

Nuriko made a frustrated noise through gritted teeth and continued pacing. It wasn't fair, but he knew he had to stay put!

Tasuki came out from behind a shrub and then sprinted towards the house. He knew where he was going was safe, he knew the people there, and he knew that they would help and protect him. He also knew that Chichiri would be mad with him for taking off and not waiting like he had told him he must keep doing. He just couldn't stand it in the Hô household anymore.

Hopping up the steps, he prayed they were quick to answer before someone recognized him, who knew he had just runaway from home. Ringing the bell, he prayed.

He prayed that the Tiaos would be home and help him stay safe from his parents and the horrible world he lived.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter Seven

I need to work on this story more.

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Seven

Nuriko's eyes were dark and cloudy as he trudged behind Hotohori after the heir's home car mechanic picked them up at Nuriko's house around three in the afternoon on Sunday evening. Tasuki's parents had pushed him over the edge, and he had fled, his parents could care less, and words were still ringing in Nuriko's head from some heated conversation between someone and Tasuki over the phone the night the younger boy appeared at his house.

"Hey.

"Yeah it's me.

"I just called t' say I'm at Nuriko's.

"WHAT?! Ya can't be serious! I mean…"

Then Tasuki had launched into several ear-bleeding curses.

"Well, I guess we'll jest stick t' the game plan in a sense, then.

"Yeah, it's only two years…uh huh…

"Look, I – I'm sorry 'bout this. I didn't know what t' do er where t' go –"

Then the junior had turned wistful, his eyes taking a gleam Nuriko had never seen them take before.

"Love you too.

"Bye."

"Nuriko."

The voice brought the short senior back, "Oh! What? Sorry, I was spacing."

"We're here, take your shoes off, we don't wear them in the house," Hotohori indicated where several pairs of shoes were set neatly by the door as though they were ornaments that belonged there naturally.

"Okay," Nuriko felt strange putting his dirt-splattered, three-year-old, fraying Van's next to Hotohori's pristine brown suede shoes, but decided not to indicate that. He was now part of Hotohori's family. He was now a Li, a young man that could become a part of the conglomerate…

It was an overwhelming realization.

Forcing himself to not gawk at his surroundings, Nuriko looked to Hotohori, "So…?"

"XING-SHU!" a woman with a long red dress and matching jacket appeared before them as though she had teleported. Her brown hair was pulled straight back into a tight bun, her amber eyes casting a horrified glance at Nuriko. "Who is this?"

"T – Tiao Liu –"

Mrs. Li silenced Nuriko with a glare, then trained her imperious gaze on her youngest son, "Well?"

"This is Tiao Liu-Chuan, Honored Mother, he is the boy that I lied with for a week."

Mrs. Li looked as though she was going to faint, "This?! THIS?! YOU WERE A PART OF THIS FOR A WEEK?!"

Nuriko forced himself not to wince as the soprano shrieks reverberated around the acoustical entryway, nor defend himself. This woman made him just want to stand there and hang his head. If his mother spoke like this, he would have shot back, and maybe been sent to his room and had a grounding, but this…

This was so extreme.

"Yes, Honored Mother, I did," Hotohori also kept his head bowed, but he wasn't afraid, he was just doing what he had been taught. There was no fear, because there was no need to fear. This was just how things were done in the Li home.

Mrs. Li's eyes flickered back to the boy beside her son, then she sniffed, "Fine then. We'll make a Li out of him, make him into something worthy of being in our home," she strode over to Nuriko, then took his chin, forcing his head up so their eyes could meet, "Actually, I think I could make something more of you, child," then she removed her hand, turning to a maid, "Get the chauffeur! We're going out!"

Turning back to Nuriko, she smiled, "Now, child, we are going to make you a Li, and keep you one.

"It's a pleasure to have you home, Li Liu-Chuan."

"You seriously aren't going to spend money on me," Nuriko looked to Hotohori as they walked up to a tailor.

"You don't know mother yet," Hotohori sighed. "This is what it is to be a Li, which is the point of the assignment; to understand the other family."

"So I take it that I'm never going to see my things I brought ever again," Nuriko looked like he was about to cry. There went his favorite shirt, his favorite shoes, his skateboard…

"No, I dropped them off at your house," Hotohori put a hand on Nuriko's shoulder, "It's going to be okay. I'll make sure you don't get too smothered."

Nuriko nodded, "Thanks."

"You showed me how your family works, prompted me and such, I'll do the same for you," Hotohori smiled. "If you think this is bad, just wait until supper when you meet my five older siblings."

"F – Five?"

Hotohori nodded, "Three brothers, two sisters. Mother called them so they could meet you and induct you into the family."

"Man, the way she's carrying on, you'd think that she really was," Nuriko laughed nervously.

Hotohori glanced at him, but remained silent.

"I'm so glad you're here, Tasuki," Kang-Lin smiled as they sat in front of the television watching her current favorite on-TV anime.

"Yeah?" he glanced away from it. This was the first time he'd ever watched Yu Yu Hakusho, and despite his staring hesitancies, he had to admit that he liked it. "How come?"

"Well, most the time it's just Liu-Chuan and me at home with Mama and Papa, but he's gone off to be a Li for a week, so it was going to be all week of hell for me –"

"Kang-Lin, don't use such language in my home!"

"Sorry, Mama!"

Tasuki chuckled. He loved the Tiaos, and was glad that he had chosen them to hide at. Mrs. Tiao had hugged and proclaimed that he was now her son, and had named him Chun-Yu, which Kang-Lin kept forgetting to call him. He could have gone to live with Chichiri, but he thought for their own sakes that this move was better. Also, Mrs. Tiao was always adamant that she wanted him to go to them first if he ever got the courage to run away.

"Well," Kang-Lin turned back to him, "anyway, I'm glad you're here, because I have another brother, and I'm not here all alone with Mama and Papa – not that I don't love them, I do, but I like it better not being the only child."

"I know whatcha mean," Tasuki nodded, "I like not bein' the only child anymore."

Kang-Lin smiled.

Contrary to popular belief, the Tiaos really weren't as lower middle class as they portrayed themselves. They used the majority of their money to save up to send Kang-Lin and Nuriko to college in such close proximity. Mrs. Tiao had confided that fact to Tasuki when she first figured out his home situation, and told him that they had more than enough to take him in as a son as well, and she wouldn't take no for an answer.

He couldn't be happier. This was the kind of support and life he needed, had wanted all his life. He wished that they had adopted him originally, but now it was almost as though they had. His parents had called the Tiaos, knowing he would go there, and told Mrs. Tiao, which colorful language exchanged from both sides, that they could keep him forever, and they hoped he never showed up at their doorstep ever again.

Of course, now he didn't have a car, but that didn't matter. The Tiaos lived within walking distance of the school, and he could survive on that. He actually liked the idea of walking to and from school.

"Chun-Yu, Kang-Lin, set the table."

"But, Mama, it's not over yet."

"Don't talk back, Kang-Lin, there's always reruns."

Sighing, the freshman shut off the television and then she and her new brother went to do their household chore.

To be continued…


	8. Chapter Eight

I don't own anything.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Eight

'This is intimidating,' Nuriko stifled a grimace, all the proper etiquette he'd seen in movies and on television running through his head. He was standing to Hotohori's right, dressed in khakis with a brown braided belt, a light-lavender polo shirt tucked into them. Hotohori and he were awaiting Hotohori's siblings sans their spouses and children.

Standing as Hotohori had instructed him to, Nuriko tried to be a Li, be what his "Honored Mother" wished. Panicking slightly at the monumental task, he blinked, then snuck a glance at Hotohori.

Why hadn't he thought of it before? To truly be a Li, to truly act the proper way, all Nuriko simply had to be was Hotohori! That was it! If he acted as his new friend did, then he had it made!

His plan was flawless!

"I'll get it!" a resounding squeal echoed through the Yûki home as a flash of blue, red, white, and brown jumped over the landing flawlessly before skidding on the hall carpet, catching the doorknob before it could skewer her.

Beaming, the girl, her hair in pigtails secured with red ribbons, slowly opened the door, her face straight, "Yûki residence, may I help you this evening?"

Miaka burst into giggles at the sight of her boyfriend's facial expression, then let her beam return, "Tamahome, come in!"

The junior entered, smiling as he ruffled her hair, "So, let me guess, I have to meet your mom and brother even before we all sit down to supper, right?"

"Actually…" Miaka's voice trailed as she averted her hazel eyes, "Actually, Mom and Keisuke had to go to Canada for a week…"

"So, we're alone?"

Miaka nodded, guilt rushing through her.

Tamahome gauged her, then inquired, "So, are you going to cook me that meal you promised and then watch a movie, or not?"

They were seated around the dinner table, Mr. and Mrs. Li sitting at opposite ends, the four oldest children to Mrs. Li's left, three youngest (including Nuriko) sitting at her right. Nuriko knew he should feel intimidated, knew he should have his heart pounding, his head racing, but right now all was calm. He was seated between Hotohori and Rei-Min (Hotohori's youngest older sister), and somehow that gave him a slight comfort, perhaps because he wasn't sitting in an intimidating position like right beside Mr. Li.

"Honored Third Brother, Liu-Chuan," Yang-Sui, the oldest Li child inquired, "how old are you?"

"I turned eighteen in March, Honored Brother," Nuriko replied fluidly. To be a Li wasn't that hard. You just had to speak when spoken to, and be as overly polite as possible!

"That would make you only a week or so older than Honored Second Younger Brother," Tao Jun, who was the child just before Hotohori and his sister that was sitting to Nuriko's right, mused.

"That is correct Honored Sister," he nodded.

"Do you wish to know more about us?"

Nuriko blinked, then nodded, confidence returning to his countenance, "If you wish."

"I do," Tao-Jun smiled slightly at him as though he was a true younger brother who had been gone a long, long time. "I am Li Tao-Jun, a graduate of the local college in textiles and designs. I'm going to be called to New York tomorrow to begin a job working for a very respected design manufacturer. I was born on July 17, the year of the rabbit."

Nuriko crinkled an eyebrow in confusion, "Rabbit, Honored Sister?"

"Nineteen hundred and seventy-five," she clarified, that same smile adorning her features. "Now this young man across from you is our Honored Brother, the oldest of us seven," Nuriko felt pride rush through him as he noticed that she had included him in the children count. "His name is Yang-Sui, and he works in our family company as the highest level of supervisor, unlike Xing-Shu, who is Vice President. He was born under the dragon, (nineteen hundred and sixty-four) on August 15.

"Honored Second Older Brother, Liu-Shen, who is to Honor Brother's left, was born January 12, in the year of the ox (nineteen hundred and seventy-three). He works in Dow-Elanco in the pharmaceutical department.

"To my right is Honored Younger Brother, Chi-Yen, born December seventh in the year of the Snake (nineteen hundred and seventy-seven). He is currently working on a screenplay, which he shall produce and direct.

"Now, next to you is Honored Sister, Rei-Min, born on June 26 in the year of the dragon (nineteen hundred and seventy-six). She's currently working in small acting parts in Independent films, her first job being an extra in Yi-Yi.

"Finally, to your right is Honored Third Younger Brother, Xing-Shu, born August third, the year of the ox (nineteen hundred and eighty-five). Currently he's a senior in the local high school by weekday and Vice President of our company every other time.

"Now," her brown eyes locked onto Nuriko, "Give us as much information on you as I have given you on each of us."

"My name is Liu-Chuan, born March tenth, the year of the ox (nineteen hundred and eighty-five). I'm currently attending the local high school, and have no other jobs."

"You forgot one important thing out," Mrs. Li smiled at him, her eyes twinkling.

"What was that, Honored Mother?"

"That you, my wonderful Fifth Son, are engaged to my wonderful Sixth Son."

To be continued…


	9. Chapter Nine

Okay, now for a quick primer on Hotohori's family:

Before Nuriko joined, there were the five Li children, Hotohori being the youngest, so he was the Fifth Youngest Child, however, when Nuriko joined, since he's older than Hotohori, Hotohori became the Sixth Youngest Child, Nuriko becoming Fifth.

The reason that there are no definitive static titles is that there is no set difference between all the children. For example, the oldest calls everyone by their line-up according to him, all being Younger Brother, Younger Second Brother, etc… Tao-Jun calls her sister Honored Sister, because there is only one sister. That's how it works as I pieced together from Chinese Cinderella. It seems confusing, but just re-read the passage of explanation from Chapter Eight, and I think you'll begin to get it somewhat.

I don't own anything.

Also, I would like to thank roku kyu. All your reviews are priceless to me, and simply make my day! I like your comment about the student/teacher relationship, and that gave me an idea.

I don't know if I'll use it or not.

Let us take "flight."

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Nine

"Now," her brown eyes locked onto Nuriko, "Give us as much information on you as I have given you on each of us."

"My name is Liu-Chuan, born March tenth, the year of the ox (nineteen hundred and eighty-five). I'm currently attending the local high school, and have no other jobs."

"You forgot one important thing out," Mrs. Li smiled at him, her eyes twinkling.

"What was that, Honored Mother?"

"That you, my wonderful Fifth Son, are engaged to my wonderful Sixth Son."

That conversation was ringing throughout Nuriko's mind as he sat on the edge of the large King bed, playing with his brush, nervously prodding to the point it might crumble in his trembling fingers.

Engaged? Him? Hotohori? They weren't even eighteen yet! Groaning, Nuriko leaned back onto the bed so he was still sitting, but his back was lying against the soft comforter. It was so confusing. It was like being shoved onto a Tokyo tram by one of the white suited attendants when you were merely just watching the train.

"Good night."

Nuriko blinked, then sat up, staring across the room at the figure silhouetted against the moonlight flooding in through the window, the lights having been switched off while he was musing the new predicament.

"You honestly aren't going to sleep on the window seat –"

"Why not? You are my guest, and if you cannot have a room of your own, then you must take my bed. It makes perfect sense."

Nuriko folded his arms and legs as he sat in the center of the bed, facing Hotohori, "No, it doesn't. I'm sorry if this sounds a little off, wrong, or insulting, but honestly, your family has a ridiculous amount of money, and I know that you have three available guestrooms. Honored Mother named me your fiancé without consult either of us, and I don't like that, but obviously, due to the locked door, we can't change it."

"Actually, I locked the door."

Nuriko almost fell off the bed. "YOU WH –"

"SHHHH!" Hotohori shot him a warning glare, finger to his lips, "Not so loud, okay?"

Nuriko clapped his hands to his mouth, glaring back.

Hotohori rolled his eyes, then explained, "You certainly noted how Honored Mother acts, even if you have only known her a few hours. How do you think I got her to agree to this anyway? Can you imagine how she reacted to the request? You saw her try to 'make you a Li,' didn't you?"

Nuriko stared, his hands still over his mouth subconsciously. He had a feeling that something he didn't want to hear and Hotohori didn't want to say was coming. By the worn look in the younger senior's eyes, Nuriko's conjecture wasn't false.

"Want to make a guess?"

Nuriko finally withdrew his hands, swallowing as he shook his head. He was too afraid to guess. He didn't want to know, yet a part of him kept dangling on, wanting to know what was about to happen next, how a woman like Mrs. Li had been persuaded to do something she hadn't wanted.

"I told her that you were my boyfriend, and that it would be most advantageous for her to get to know you if you stayed for the week," Hotohori's eyes dropped away, "I didn't even know who you were, I merely invented the lie, pretending with all my heart that the boy whose name was Liu-Chuan Tiao was indeed this one boy I had seen a few times, and knew was in my class."

Nuriko wanted to gape, but his look was simply patient and introspective. He couldn't say anything; he could merely gaze at Hotohori who had turned his head so he was looking at something off to his left, pain and guilt etched on his features.

"I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."

Nuriko tried to get his voice to work, but he only choked silently. There wasn't anything he could say or do. He wanted to help, but all he could do was gaze at the younger boy in silence. He wasn't stunned, accepting, happy, sad, or anything else. He felt like he was orbiting the subject, not a part of it, even if he was a part of it all the same. He felt a detachment, and relished it subconsciously as his conscious stared at Hotohori, neither able to move or speak for a long time.

"Hey."

Chichiri's pen went flying from his hands as his whole body shuddered with a startled split-second seizure that a normal person experiences from time to time. His head snapping up, the twenty-four-year-old stared for a moment at the boy in the doorframe, then smiled, "Good morning, Tasuki, no da. How are you?"

"Actually, never been better," Tasuki flashed something between a grin and a smirk, his pointy canine teeth gleaming in the light. Stepping into the room, he picked up the pen, setting it on Chichiri's desk. Locking eyes with the older man, Tasuki felt something surge in his chest. What he wouldn't give to be able to gently kiss Chichiri right then, but like all other feelings of that nature, he pushed it back. He ached for their first kiss, their first hand holding, their first…their first whatever you could think of! He had to admit that his love also carried a side of lust to it, but he could quell it, and when he stepped back from both feelings, he knew the love was stronger, and he could be content as long as Chichiri was happy and content, even if that meant they never were able to act upon their own wants and desires.

"I was informed that you changed residences no da," Chichiri calmly replied, his eyes holding a happy sparkle. His soul sang with the joy that was resonating from Tasuki. Neither could be happier at the change for their own reasons. "How is it going no da?"

"Feh, strict, but good – I think I'll keep 'em," again came the playful grin/smirk.

Chichiri felt it contagious, and decided that if anyone asked, he'd chalk it up to contagious enthusiasm. "So, what's it like living with your Prom date no da?" his grin intensified, mischief sparkling.

Tasuki snapped to attention, "What – What's that supposed 't mean?!" he knew that Chichiri was playing with him, but he could work it as well. One of his dreams as a child had been to be an actor, and after a few classes, those lessons had a lasting effect, and only aided the secrecy of their true relationship.

Chichiri grinned devilishly, "You should know na no da," then his eyes sparkled more as the five minute bell rang, "Go to class, I'll explain it fifth hour."

Tasuki grumbled, quelling the urge to steal a quick peck before leaving the room to go to first hour.

"But, he clearly likes you, Yui!"

Yui rolled her eyes, "But, I don't like him, Miaka."

Miaka sighed, "But, I wanted you to go with me to Prom."

"And, how would that work? He's a sophomore, we're freshmen…Miaka, use your head! I couldn't really go with Suboshi because of that anyway. You have to be invited by a junior or senior or be one yourself. Those are the rules, you know."

"But –"

"Oh listen to her super ego," Kang-Lin smiled at Miaka, "she wants to follow the rules, but I bet you wouldn't mind a little deception of the rules, and a date to a wonderful formal."

Yui shook her head, "I have no time for Prom. Besides, I have SATs that weekend anyway."

"That's right, you're practicing, aren't you, Yui?" Kang-Lin smiled. "Nuriko says that they're horrid, and you should only hope to take them once."

"Well, I'm not your brother," Yui retorted, then glanced over at Miaka, "What's wrong?"

"I had completely forgotten about SATs!"

"That doesn't matter, you aren't taking them for another two years."

"No, I'm not! I'm taking them with you, Yui," Miaka smiled, "It was Mom's idea, and I thought that if you could do it, then I could too!"

Yui blinked, then forced a smile, "Of course, Miaka, we can rock it together."

"Word has it that you and Miaka did it."

"Word has it that you and Hotohori are engaged."

"Word has it that Yui turned down Suboshi."

"Word has it that your sister is going to Prom with Tasuki."

"Word has it that Miaka's mom and brother aren't coming back from Canada for a while."

"Word has it that you've slept in the same bed as Hotohori."

"Word has it that you're going to be a father in nine months."

"Word has it that Tasuki has been sent to guidance about something that has to do with Mr. Ri."

Tamahome and Nuriko snapped to attention from where they had been exchanging words, staring at a boy with long dark hair and a regal face that was decorated in his mother's native paints on certain days of the year that had earned him the name "Kiss Man" back in kindergarten.

"What the hell do you mean, Kiss Man?" Nuriko narrowed his eyes.

Tomo leaned back in his desk, the three of them sitting in an L-shape in Study Hall. "I was in sixth with Tasuki, and in came our principal, and bam – he walks up to Tasuki, tells him to go with him, and Tasuki's face was pure white, and later, from a guidance aide, I heard that it had something to do with Mr. Ri."

"What would the principal want with Tasuki that would have to do with Mr. Ri?" Nuriko pursed his lips. "I mean – "

"One thing."

Nuriko stared at Tamahome, whose expression was dark as he spoke icily, "I was right."

"Right about what?" Tomo stared with Nuriko.

"I can't say," Tamahome frowned, "I won't unless it is truly the reason that Tasuki was called out. Until then, I'll simply say that if what I think is the reason he was called, and if it's true…

"Well, I'll just say that we've got a whole shit load of problems, we would never think possible."

"Where's Tasuki?" Kang-Lin walked up to her brother, a worried expression on her features. "I know that you are going home with Hotohori, but I can't find my ride! I did bring my blades, but…"

Nuriko bit his lip, then sighed, "K-L, all I heard – which is from Tomo, so make your own judgment call – is that Tasuki was called down to the office over something that had to do with Mr. Ri." He didn't want to continue at his sister's stricken look, but Nuriko plodded forth, adding the last words he wanted to utter:

"Tamahome thinks they're going to suspend Tasuki, and fire Mr. Ri."

To be continued…


	10. Chapter Ten

This chapter is dedicated to roku kyu and Laurena, because they inspired me the most to pick this fic back up, and give it two new chapters!

I own nothing.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Ten

It wasn't supposed to go like this, not at all. It had been the most shocking, painful, and numbing experience he had ever experienced, and he knew that the initial meeting was not the worst to come. This had just been a confrontation, a judging of attitude, the presenting of evidence, and the inquiry for a confession.

Chichiri had told everything when confronted.

That caused the panicked teen's steps to lengthen as he hurried faster down the almost deserted all.

Chichiri hadn't help up a mask, and had resigned.

That made the pace close to that of a jog.

Chichiri had betrayed them. Not he, Tasuki, nor he, Chichiri, but them, Tasuki and Chichiri, not just one but both. The union had been destroyed, but how? Who had come with the information? What could they have said? He had listened, but hadn't. The words, "We heard everything from Mr. Ri, you can't lie to us," echoed through his head. He had bowed his head and zoned out at all the accusations pouring from the principal's lips, never bothering to really listen to any of them.

Skidding to a halt outside the room he knew so well, he froze, watching as Chichiri worked at sorting things into a box, his back to the junior, his motions slow and thoughtful, even if the thought wasn't in the work he was doing.

What could he say? Could he get Chichiri's attention? Should he? Maybe he could go without saying a word, go without saying goodbye, or looking back…

"I know you're there no da," the voice came bitter and harsh, the intonation needed to say "no da" making the sentence's darkness ludicrous and gave it a falseness. Hefting the box onto his desk, Chichiri turned, his eyes staring directly into Tasuki's, face set, glare on, "You needn't worry, I shall be gone before the hour no da." Then, he began to sort the various things on top of his desk into the box.

"Don't –"

"Don't go…?" Chichiri froze, then wheeled on him, "Don't go na no da?! How can you ask that of me when it was you who turned me in no da?!" Taking a step towards his love, he kept his voice at a rumble, the intensity speaking the volume he wished he could use, "You come here just to knock me, or to pretend?! I trusted you, yet I get called down, and told that you told them everything when confronted, that you didn't even fight it! I thought…" he turned away, "…never mind what I thought! You always seemed older, more mature than you are. You were never a child in my eyes, when obviously you were and are a child no da," his voice ended in a venomous whisper, and he resumed forcibly packing his things.

"Now look here…" Tasuki took a step towards him, his mind spinning.

"No, I won't no da."

"But, it –"

"Don't even say it!" Chichiri glared again at the teen, "I trusted you, but it seems that I must now pay for my deceptions no da, and…I don't even know why I'm mad at you – I should be mad at me!" placing the box on the floor with a thump, Chichiri erected a new box from one of the cheep ones the school had supplied for moving, gritting his teeth. He was seeing red, and he had to admit that not all his anger was directed at Tasuki, but there was some that wanted to scream at the boy, but he knew that the only fault in this was himself.

Tasuki glared as he watched the man start putting his filing apparatuses and dictionaries in the new box. Crossing the small area between them, he grasped both of Chichiri's wrists, swirling him forcibly around so he could stare the shorter man in the eyes, "Listen to me!"

"Unhand me no da."

"No! I need you to listen to me!"

"I said –"

"And, I said no!" Tasuki gripped tighter. "I came here thinkin' that ya had turned us in, that they had confrontedcha, an' ya'd jest told 'em everythin'!"

"I –"

"I know you didn't," Tasuki's grip and face softened, "That's what I wanted you to know. I'm not going to apologize for my actions, or accuse you of yours. We are both responsible for what we did and how we responded to the other. I did what I did, and you did what you did, and we both are to blame for falling into such a well crafted plot."

Chichiri gazed up at the red-haired young man, then looked away, "Didn't I tell you to unhand me no da?"

"Yeah, Yeah, ya did," Tasuki obeyed, dropping the older man's wrists and stepping back. "Sorry, I jest had t' make ya see."

Chichiri wanted to snap back with some sarcastic remark, but held his tongue. "I guess this is goodbye no da."

Tasuki froze as the instructor moved to close his last box, having started with the outer room before packing his desk, his job now done. "G – G – "

"Yes, you honestly didn't expect us to continue on after this no da," Chichiri met his eyes, then picked up the large box he had placed all his smaller boxes in, "Now if you'll excuse me…" then the man was gone through the door, Tasuki staring after him long after he was gone, and lights around the school began to dim. He just stood and stared and stared and stared.

It wasn't supposed to end like this.

"What is bothering you, Fifth Son?"

Nuriko blinked, then looked over at the curt woman to his left. Offering a smile, he replied, "Nothing, Honored Mother, I'm just very tired."

A covert smile twisting at her lips, she surveyed first Nuriko and then Hotohori before nodding, "Well yesterday was quite exciting, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes, Honored Mother," Nuriko gave her another half-hearted smile. He was extremely exhausted, but the Li family wasn't the cause. His mind kept going back to Tomo's comment when he had interrupted Tamahome and Nuriko's little mind game.

"Word has it that Tasuki has been sent to guidance about something that has to do with Mr. Ri."

Hotohori observed Nuriko, but didn't speak. He knew that Nuriko was tired, but it looked more mental than physical, more close-knit than the family meeting Sunday night could have been. Returning to his meal, he glanced one more time at his fiancé, filing the information away for when they were alone in their room.

"Chun-Yu, are you okay?"

"Fuck off."

The voice paused, a hesitance resonating from the person on the other side of his bedroom door.

"Mama's worried."

"I told you to fuck off."

There was a bristle, then an assault, "I won't! You are acting so depressing, and I don't blame you, but goddammit, Chun-Yu, this has gone on long enough! I can't stand this anymore! You come home, lock yourself in your room – What are you thinking?! I understand that you might not want to talk, live, or breath, but you have to!"

Tasuki threw his pillow over his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he shouted back in a muffled voice, "GO AWAY!"

"NO!"

"KANG-LIN, STOP ANTAGONIZING CHUN-YU!"

One last glare was thrown at the door, then there were receding and descending footsteps, and Tasuki felt the loneliness of his world enclose upon him again as he hid under his blankets and pillows. His eyes stung, but no tears would come, he wasn't a crier, something he had conditioned himself not to do over his life with his "parents."

Sighing tragically, he wondered dimly if this would have happened if he hadn't run away, or if it would have anyway. Had he and Chichiri been doomed from the start?

Closing his eyes, the boy felt his chest tighten, but still no tears came.

That was the last slap in the face.

As he had Sunday night, Hotohori locked the door after both had used the restroom and changed into their sleeping clothes. Eyeing Nuriko, who quietly climbed onto the bed, Hotohori glanced at the window seat, then at Nuriko before sitting down on the bed gently, the older boy not even registering the action.

"Something's bothering you."

Nuriko slipped his legs under the covers, sitting so his legs were slightly spread apart, his hands, fingers intertwined, lying on the indent in the covers as he stared down at them, his left thumb absentmindedly poking at his right thumb underneath it.

"You don't have to tell me, but it could help."

Nuriko closed his eyes, then opened them, speaking hoarsely, "It's Tasuki."

"Tasuki? Like the football player? The kid who helps Mr. Ri grade papers fifth hour?"

"Yes, that one."

Hotohori studied Nuriko a moment, then found himself asking in a whisper, "What about him?"

"I…I don't know yet, but I just keep having this bad feeling, like he's heartbroken, but maybe it's just my mind playing with me after what Tomo said."

"What he say?" Hotohori inquired gently as he watched Nuriko closely, noting that the pale young man was paler, and seemed extremely older than normal with his smile and cheerful disposition in place.

"He said that Tasuki went to the principal's office due to Mr. Ri, and then Tamahome said that if his conjecture is correct, Tasuki shall be suspended…He looked so dark, and when I asked him what that had to do with Mr. Ri, he didn't answer me, just gave me a very sorrowful look."

Hotohori felt the tenseness descend upon them like fog. Slowly, he reached out, then took Nuriko's hand, "It'll be all right. You'll see."

Then Nuriko's other hand grabbed Hotohori's robe, his head resting against the taller boy's shoulder as he choked on his words, "No, it's not. I can feel it. Something bad has happened."

To be continued…


	11. Chapter Eleven

I'm so tired, and I wrote most of this at school, and am typing it up while waiting to go to the SATs.

I'm back! It was like taking the ISTEP for the billionth time.

Trés easy!

And, (even though this was a review from chapter five) the reason that there was more TC than NH was due to the fact that TC was established, and NH hasn't really started up in earnest yet. Yes, I know this is an initially HotoxNuriko fic, so don't worry!

I own nothing.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Eleven

As he made his way to his fourth-hour class, Nuriko felt his stomach churn. He knew that he wasn't sick, it was the kind of nausea that comes from intuition when it screams, "Something's wrong! Today you will find out something you'd rather not know!"

At first, he had entertained the idea that the incident he woke to was that, but it wasn't.

Had he really cried him to sleep? Had he really had Hotohori in a death grip?

Nuriko sighed. It was all so confusing, but all he could say was that he was glad he woke first. It was so awkward even if it made sense. He had cried, and Hotohori had sat beside him, giving him a shoulder to cry on until they both had fallen asleep. When he had fallen asleep, Nuriko didn't know, all he knew was that he had a splitting headache from his crying.

Part of him hoped that he was making something of nothing, but he highly doubted that since his inner self was dreading fourth-hour.

But, why?

Mr. Ri was the best, most original, and the easiest to understand teacher of all (even if he seemed to have an odd affinity for putting "no da" on almost all sentences, and rarely speaking in his actual voice). He didn't have to work at class discipline, as fi by magic; all students were attentive and followed the rules. He never got mad, although sometimes he would go into his own little world, and seemed to be sad, reflective, or introspective. There was great pain hidden behind his smiling countenance as though he had suffered long before, more than someone in their mid-twenties should.

Walking into the class, the young senior froze, staring at the teacher's chair with wide, almost glazed eyes. It wasn't Mr. Ri, but Mr. Miao, who all called Coach Mitsukake, because he was the assistant coach of the swim team.

"Coach?" a senior who could double for Tamahome, named Tomite, stared, blinking a few times, then glanced around the room cautiously, "Where's Mr. Ri?"

The class was as silent as death, all somber as they gazed at Mitsukake. It was as though Chichiri had died, and those wearing black fidgeted uncomfortably.

After surveying the class, Mitsukake closed his eyes, then spoke, "Mr. Ri quit last night."

The whole class stared, none believing it. Mr. Ri had taught them never to quit, never give up, telling them that not only was it a good school strategy, but one for life, and that strategy had helped him when he was their age. Yet, he had given up – !

"Why?"

All shifted their attention to a blonde boy in the middle left of the room, just in front of the windows. "Why did he quit?"

"Word has it that Tasuki has been sent to guidance about something that has to do with Mr. Ri."

Nuriko gasped, sitting straighter. No way.

Mitsukake held Nakago's gaze, then lowered his eyes, "I cannot say, and even if I could, I do not know all the details."

"Or is that your cover up? I know you know what it was about, and if you don't, I shall enlighten all," Tomo surveyed the room, a triumphant smirk on his features.

"Word has it that Tasuki has been sent to guidance about something that has to do with Mr. Ri."

Nuriko felt all color drain, barely noticing tense moment shared between them, then Mitsukake spoke, "Whatever it is, Tomo, it is not for you or I to divulge. That is one of the goals of the experiment Mr. Ri gave you."

"Which was?" Tomo leaned back in his seat, folding his arms.

"These are the goals," Mitsukake replied smoothly, without acting as though Tomo was haggling or harassing.

The "Brother" (or "Sister") Project Senior Sociology Mr. Ri, Fourth-Hour THE PROJECT: You and your partner shall spend two weeks together as though you were siblings. You shall spend one week at one of your houses, and the following week at the other's house. The parents and/or guardians preceding have been instructed to treat you as part of their own family as a son or daughter. Be yourself, and learn something that only this could teach you. GOALS OF THIS PROJECT: 1. Discover what it is like to live in a different "culture" than yours 2. Recognize the differences of people based on how they were raised 3. This is not a requirement, but try to make a new friend, or, if you are "enemies," try to at least become "acquaintances" 4. Look at your own life and contrast it with that of your partner 5. Ask yourself, "What if I was in this family…?" and fill in your own answer 5. Come out having a better sense of self, or how good you have it. By seeing someone else's life, you can pick out the goods in yours and theirs GRADING Your grade shall not be based on if you solely have met my criteria, or any other ethereal grading such as that. You shall be graded on a paper that meets the following: 1. A description of your life at home with rules, traditions, etc… 2. A description of your life at your partner's home with traditions, rules, etc… 3. A reaction of shifting into this other "culture" 4. The pros/cons of living in either life 5. Which did you enjoy? Why? 6. How did this project simulate us taking an exchange trip to somewhere faraway (i.e. China)? FINAL NOTE: I hope that all of you enjoy this project, which I do understand could be a stretch for several. This project was designed as a simulation of going to a foreign country without the airfare. You shall not be graded harshly, nor will this be like a completion grade. For your efforts, you shall be rewarded, but by how many points will be determined by the effort and such put into your reports once I receive them. Have as much fun as you can no da! Mr. Ri, Senior Sociology teacher, fourth-hour  
"So, how are you going to grade it, Mr. Miao?" Soi spoke up after their new teacher had finished re-reading the requirements to them to reintroduce what they were supposed to accomplish.

"I shall try my best to follow these guidelines he has set for all of us," Mitsukake replied. "I will grade you upon effort, not a completion, but not a heavy-handed grade either. I am qualified to teach English or one of the Social Sciences, so this is my forte."

"So, the project goes as planned, Coach?" Tomite inquired.

"Yes, Tomite, the project still proceeds as planned."

"Fifth Son, why do you not eat? Is the food not to your liking?"

Nuriko sighed, eyes downcast, not even wanting to put up a mask, or "act like Hotohori" as he had discovered worked splendidly. "No, Honored Mother, it is a meal fit for a king, however, I simply had a very long day at school, and I'm worn out."

"High school can be taxing," Mr. Li nodded, "It seemed long for me as well, but then I met Honored Mother, and my days went by too quickly for my taste."

Nuriko offered a meek smile as Hotohori jumped in, "Mr. Ri left the corporation yesterday, Honored Mother."

"What?" the woman stared. "Is that what is troubling you, Fifth Son?"

Nuriko swallowed, then nodded timidly. He didn't like the overt attention, but he really couldn't thwart it now. "He was – He was my favorite teacher, Honored Mother, but something happened, and he had to leave."

Hotohori stared at Nuriko as his mother inquired, "What was it? We can fix it you know."

"You don't have to go to all that trouble," Nuriko smiled half-way, "I'm fine. It'll just take some getting used to, that's all."

Hotohori eyed his fiancé warily. Nuriko knew something, and even if he didn't like prying, Hotohori wanted to know what it was, especially since it was troubling the boy so much.

To be continued…


	12. Chapter Twelve

For those who don't really like TazChi, I must warn you that the first few sections are dedicated to them since they're splitting, but don't worry, Nuriko and Hotohori goodness will come through!

Just skim for the names if you have to.

I own nothing.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Twelve

It was dark, thunder off in the distance, probably Kokomo, but the young man staring down at the dark river didn't care. As it had before, the rippling water called him, but this time he had no urge to jump. If it hadn't been for his "parents," several events would never have occurred, especially the most recent and worst of his life. It seemed that they found that Chichiri had called the social services on them, and they retaliated in the most logical fashion: tell the school that the teacher and his helper were more than they should be, and if it were true, naturally they would be parted in repairmen for placing the hefty fine upon his "parents" heads. It was their final slap on his face, the final lock-up, the final depravation.

Closing his eyes, Tasuki dammed them and the "For Sale" sign on Chichiri's front lawn. The aforementioned person and he were avoiding each other, avoiding their situation, and avoiding their lives. Both had made their next move as separate people, which was probably for the best.

This was where it had all begun.

Staring into the dark waters, Chichiri sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. How odd it would be if Tasuki were here, if they said goodbye here…

No, that wouldn't be good. He couldn't do it, he couldn't see Tasuki, he felt a pain so great…

He was running away.

Turning away from the water, Tasuki knew he should head back to the Tiao home, his home, but something drew his attention, called his attention to something to his right. Feeling his eyes pull themselves up, they met hazel, and all he could do was stare at the man who held his gaze.

Chichiri stared, a shudder of shock running through him, his cheeks down numbing at it. "Tasuki..?"

The junior started, then nodded, glancing away.

Taking a step forward, Chichiri pursed his lips, then spoke, "I know you hate –"

"I don't."

"But –"

"No," Tasuki shook his head, "We shouldn't let it end like this. We've come full circle, that's true, but that doesn't mean we should get mushy, cheesy, or jest write all we did t'gether off like a flick of the wrist," he flicked his wrist to illustrate. "We kin say goodbye, it's possible, but I don't wantcha thinkin' that I hate ya, er some shit like that – Chichiri, we've been through a lot, don'tcha think?"

Chichiri nodded, hesitantly, not having expected Tasuki to be here, let alone having such a reaction.

"Well then, let's leave it at this:

"I hope t' see ya, but that's unrealistic. All I kin say is, 'I hope yer happy with whatever befalls ya,' but that's really cliché, so…" Tasuki shrugged, "I could kiss ya, we've never done that, but it wouldn't befit our relationship, so…" his brown eyes met Chichiri's hazel again, "I don't really know what t' say."

Chichiri smiled, then nodded, "Neither do I no da. Every time something comes to me, it just seems not to fit, as though nothing can describe us no da."

Tasuki smirked at the "no da," his fang-like canines glinting in the lightning that now had to be encroaching upon Lafayette. "Then, let's not end it."

Chichiri's smile faltered, finally turning into a serious, stern look, "We can't."

"Why not?"

"It wouldn't work out."

"Why?!" Tasuki demanded, "Why won't it work?! Are ya sayin' that jest cuz I'm a 'student' an' yer a 'teacher' that we can't have a fuckin' relationship?! Come on –"

"No," Chichiri shook his head, then looked up at the taller male, "We can't," and then he walked past Tasuki, leaving the boy to stare after him. No matter how much he wanted, no matter how he brain screamed out, 'God this is just like that one 90's song na no da!' he never looked back. He simply walked on down the community path, and disappeared into his house across the street, no lights coming on as Tasuki watched it in the torrential rain.

"Tell me what is going on."

Nuriko blinked as he watched Hotohori slide the bolt of the door in place, feeling slightly apprehensive and very claustrophobic, even though it was Wednesday night, the fourth night he had spent in this room. Turning away from the intent gaze, Nuriko shifted uncomfortably, "Nothing's wr –"

"Liar!"

Nuriko's eyes widened, his pupils shrinking as Hotohori took a menacing step towards him, making the small man acutely aware of their seven-inch height difference.

"I don't know quite what you expect to gain, but it's tearing you apart – just look at yourself! Honored Mother rarely speaks out, but she sees all. If she's asking, and if Honored Father knows – Nuriko, you can lie to them, but not to me," the younger man stated, "So tell me," his voice calmed, quieting, his anger subsiding as he sat at the foot of the bed, Nuriko at its head, "what is wrong."

Nuriko held his gaze, then closed his eyes, sighing, "A lot of things that I don't know if it's my place to say."

"So, would you rather have the gossips tell me tomorrow, or do you want to tell me tonight?"

Nuriko opened his eyes, "Wha…?"

"You understand the rumors that are already flying, I bet I can guess what's running through your mind, and who started it."

"Tomo…that bas –"

"No," Hotohori shook his head, "It wasn't Tomo who started it, but a guidance aid known as Amiboshi."

Nuriko almost fell off the bed, "Ami…? But, he's the goodie-two-shoes of the school!"

"He is very deceiving," Hotohori's eyes darkened, and then he sighed, "Anyway, he might have even been he who planted whatever Tomo said into your head, however, what Tomo was doing in class was mostly trash-talking, and I don't think he'd really say what's going on, because even if he says he doesn't like Mr. Ri, I know he does."

"So, what did Mr. Goodie-two-shoes impart upon you?" Nuriko's countenance darkened as he sat cross-legged, folding his arms.

"You tell me what you're talking about first."

"No fair!"

"I asked first."

"No way!"

"I'm youngest."

Nuriko froze, then sighed. He couldn't argue with that since the youngest gets their way twice as much as the oldest does.

"All right. Tomo originally told me that he heard from someone (who must have been Amiboshi) that Tasuki had been called in on account of Mr. Ri. Naturally, I got worried, and then I made the connection:

"Tasuki is Mr. Ri's aid when it's a student and teacher one-on-one thing, so there is only one answer to it:

"They were dating, or were doing something like that."

Hotohori nodded solemnly, "That's what I heard. Although it's deeper than that."

"Deeper…?"

Hotohori made himself comfortable for the story that was to come, then began, "Do you know why Tasuki is living with your family?"

"Yes, his other was abusive, and he turned eighteen claiming emancipation."

"There's more to it," Hotohori cut in again. "You see, Mr. Ri called the social services the day that Tasuki ran away to your house. From that, Tasuki's family incurred a few fines and some severe penalties. They were furious, so (knowing the policy of the school and that Tasuki was one of the children who receive extra help in a one-on-one setting), they simply told the school that they knew there was a relationship going between Tasuki and his teacher, but they didn't know who it was.

"Thusly, they tricked Mr. Ri into leaving, proving that there might have been something, or he was afraid that they would think so. Now Tasuki has no mentor, and it's all because of his foster family."

"Those…" Nuriko growled, then paused when Hotohori touched his shoulder.

"There's no need to get angry," Hotohori met the shorter senior's eyes, "his former family is getting punished as we speak, so just getting angry will use up too much of your energy, and won't amount to a single thing."

Nuriko nodded, then sighed, "I don't like getting angry anyway."

Getting up, Hotohori crossed the room, then paused, "You realize that we only have three more nights, not counting this one, together, right?"

Nuriko stared, "Uh…er…yeah…?"

Hotohori surveyed him, then nodded, "Goodnight then."

Watching the younger teen fall asleep, Nuriko frowned. That was so odd, so random, and so not-Hotohori-like at all!

To be continued…


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Sorry for the long wait! Things just kept pushing this back!

I own nothing.

Uozumi

****

**_The Brother Project_**

**Chapter Thirteen**

'You have got to be kidding me!' Nuriko's voice screamed, but he merely said, "Why, Honored Mother, how you jest!"

"I do not jest, Fifth Son," Mrs. Li glanced at him. "Your school has been cancelled. Someone slashed the bus tires last night."

Hotohori and Nuriko exchanged glances. They knew it wasn't Tasuki; however, they wouldn't put it past him either.

"So, what will we do today?" Nuriko looked to Hotohori. "It's Thursday…"

"I know," Hotohori nodded, and then turned to his mother, "Honored Mother, may Fourth Brother and I take my car out today? Since we have no school, I do not foresee there being a problem."

Mrs. Li's eyes lit up tremendously. "Of course, Sixth Son! Just be home at a reasonable hour."

"I'M ON A TRAIN/BUT THERE'S NO ONE AT THE HELM/AND, THERE'S A DEMON IN MY BRAIN/WHO STARTS TO OVERWHELM…" Nuriko sang with the tape that was playing.

"I wonder what Honored Mother would say if she knew you listened to this," Hotohori glanced at him as Nuriko turned down the volume so they could talk easier.

"She'd probably think it best that you purify me or something."

Hotohori turned his attention straight ahead, offering, "I suppose…"

"Anyway, what shall we do on our day off?" Nuriko looked to him.

"Enjoy it any way we can – what would you like to do first?"

"Well…" Nuriko glanced at the clock, then grinned.

"I wonder who slashed the tires," Tasuki looked to Kang-Lin as they hovered around Mrs. Tiao in Lazarus. Due to the sudden free day, the woman had dragged her children off to a sale so she could get them the right sized clothes and not have to go out and come back repeatedly.

"Liu-Chuan."

Tasuki rolled his eyes. Trust Kang-Lin just to pin it all on her brother, who they all knew would never do it. He might suggest it, but he'd never do it.

"Bet I get blamed by someone," Tasuki gazed about the store.

"Bet so too," Kang-Lin nodded.

Tasuki glanced at her, "Ya know, I like how yer agreein' with me an' all, but the fact that yer agreein' with me…"

Kang-Lin just gave him her best doll eyes as Mrs. Tiao loaded him with clothes and sent him in the direction of the changing rooms.

"Hello, Yûki residence, Miaka Yûki speaking," the girl paused, then her radiant smile lightened the whole kitchen, "Tamahome! Isn't this exciting – no school! Oh? A movie? Sure! What will it be? A surprise? Can't you tell me…Please? Pretty please? Oh, fine then. Bye," hanging up, she squealed, jumped up and down, and ran up the stairs as though it were their first date.

Yui walked down the street, gazing at the scenery. She didn't want to stay up in the house all day with her parents gone, but she didn't want to go too far from home either, so she had decided on taking a walk through her neighborhood. However, soon she had left her neighborhood and began down the community path only to find herself on the bridge, staring down at the water, amazed at how peaceful it seemed.

"You know, when people long for water, they are under a great deal of stress no da."

Yui jumped, then looked over her shoulder, watching as Mr. Ri leaned against the bridge to her right.

"I was just coming over one last time to look at it," he explained. "I assume the whole school knows of my resignation."

Yui frowned inwardly at the suddenly loss of the no da and the lowering of his voice. "If it bothers you so much, Mr. Ri, why are you leaving?"

He surveyed her a moment, then spoke carefully, "Yui, I am a teacher. I do not have the full respect, security, or a lot of other things that other jobs have, but you know that I love my job."

Yui nodded at her AP History teacher.

"However, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with my position," he continued. "I have jeopardized some of that trust and responsibility, and thusly I am leaving."

"Where are you going?" Yui stared. She liked Mr. Ri, and couldn't begin to fathom what he ever could have done, or been accused of doing that would prompt him to quit.

"I am not sure," he looked down at their reflection. "I might go on a search I've been postponing, or I'll just go find a similar job to this, but…I don't know. Yet," he smiled, "I don't think it's good for you to hear a teacher say, 'I don't know na no da,'" he put a hand on her shoulder then nodded, "You have been an excellent student, Yui, and I know you'll go far. Just remember, that whatever you do, always double-check, and be on the look out for those who want to hurt you." Then, he took a few steps towards his car that he had parked at the side of the road, "I must go and hope to beat my things to my new home. Tell all that I wish them the best," and then he got in the sedan, turned on the engine, and was gone before Yui could register the fact.

"Tamahome, why can't I look around, and have to stand here when you get the ticket?" Miaka glanced at him curiously.

"Because, it's a surprise," Tamahome smiled.

"What movie could possibly so surprising!"

Tamahome just kept grinning.

"You'll see."

"What to see first?" Nuriko's eyes were wide with delight. He didn't care if he was eighteen, he was all for this! Turning to Hotohori, he inquired, "What's your favorite exhibit?"

Hotohori shrugged, "I don't know. I've never been to the zoo before."

Nuriko froze in shock, "You've never…?"

"Never."

"And, you've never been to the Children's Museum too, right?"

"Yes."

Nuriko suddenly grabbed onto his arm, "You have not lived, and thusly," he grinned, "Today you shall. Let's go exhaust the zoo, and then we'll go haunt the Children's Museum."

"But –"

"Come on, let's go!" and Nuriko dragged him off towards the Sea Lions.

At the phone's ring, Yui glanced at the Caller ID, and then picked it up, placing the phone on the speaker function. "Hello, Suboshi."

"Wow, how'd you know it was me?"

"I have Caller ID."

"Wonderful thing…" his voice trailed.

"Why'd you call?"

"Um…well, I wanted to apologize."

Yui paused, blinking. Narrowing her eyes, she inquired, "For what?"

"For a lot of things," Suboshi murmured, "but I want to really apologize for having people pressuring you to go to Prom with me. That was really bad, so…"

"So…?"

"I decided to ask you myself. Will you go to Prom with me?"

Yui rolled her eyes, "Suboshi, we're freshmen."

"So?"

Yui sighed, then simply stated, "If you can find a way that I find acceptable, yes, I'll go to Prom with you."

"Wow…" Hotohori's hazel eyes gazed upwards, "I didn't know that they had anything like this here."

Nuriko grinned, "Yup, they do. Isn't it amazing?" he reached out, touching his hand to the glass, "I really like the polar bears, and they're always in the water in the summer."

"That makes sense," Hotohori nodded, staring at it, then he looked to Nuriko, "What now?"

"Brown cow," Nuriko grinned some more.

"Eh?"

"Nothing, nothing, you are suppose to teach me what your family is like, but again here I am teaching you what my family is like."

"I like your family," Hotohori replied. "They're very nice, and I wish that they could be mine."

"They will be, if your mother has her way," Nuriko murmured bitterly as they walked out of the polar bear building. "How can she do this? Why would she pair you off with me? I mean, I'm a boy, you're a boy – what the heck?!"

Hotohori stuffed his hands in his jacket, "I don't know. She's always been like this. She put one of my sisters up with a woman, and they've never been happier. My father says that she has a sixth sense for whom your soul mate is, but you're right, it is a little odd."

"Odd is not the word," Nuriko kicked a stone.

"Are you not happy?"

"Happy?! _Happy?!_ I'd have to be crazy to be happy!" at the concerned stares from onlookers, Nuriko lowered his voice, "What would you think if you were me and this happened to you? What would you think if suddenly a major decision had been made for you and you didn't care? That you were _happy_ with it, but not 'happy' with it!"

Hotohori blinked, sorting out the sentences. "Wait. You're happy, but not?"

"Precisely," Nuriko nodded. "I hate it when people make decisions for me, and hate it even more when they turn out to be something I like!"

"Like…?" Hotohori's head spun. There was only one way to take that, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to take it that way. "So, you don't mind that we're –"

Nuriko turned away abruptly, "Let's go see the rest of the zoo."

"But –"

"Hotohori, we'll talk about this later, but in a place swarming with children and mothers, I would prefer to talk about this somewhere else."

Hotohori stared, then nodded, "Then, let's go somewhere else."

"Tamahome! Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Sure, it's just previews," Tamahome nodded.

"I wonder what movie it is," Miaka buzzed, "Oh, thank you," and took the popcorn and coke her boyfriend offered her. "I can't think of anything out that I want to watch…Unless you know something I don't know."

"I do," Tamahome noted, "which is why you're asking what movie this is."

Miaka nodded, "Good point," and then she reflexively pointed in a random direction. It was an old joke that Yui had grown out of, but Miaka still did every time she said that word.

"Okay, the previews will start, and I bet that you won't guess what it is until it starts."

Miaka's eyes were instantly on the screen, "Want to bet?"

"So, what is this again?"

"It's called _X_, try it, you might like it," Kang-Lin pushed the black graphic novel at Tasuki.

"But, I don't know what it is! I don't read this!"

"You don't know that. Have you ever tried?"

"No."

"Then read it! You might like it," Kang-Lin defended as they sat in the front room, their shopping expedition a success, also yielding a new _X _book for Kang-Lin.

"But, it's all…all…"

"Shôjoy?" Kang-Lin offered.

"Don't speak yer Japanese t' me, I don't know that."

"Shôjo means few of years, but mostly refers to girls –"

"So, this's fer girls?" Tasuki held _Prelude_ out by the tips of his fingers.

"Actually, regardless of the title of shônen (boys' manga), or shôjo (girls' manga), both appeal to both genders," Kang-Lin spoke resolutely as though she were explaining something about academics. "The difference is that shôjo focuses mostly on relationships, and has bishônen, and lots of romance. Shônen is stuff like _DBZ _and _Yu Yu Hakusho_, which focus on action, have some romance, and appeals more to boys, you could say."

"Well since it's a boys' whatever…"

"Manga."

"What ya said."

Kang-Lin rolled her eyes, "Just read it. It's the apocalypse and dark."

Tasuki sighed opening the book. Kang-Lin could be so pushy.

**To be continued…**


	14. The End

**Title** _The Brother Project_  
**Author**  
**Disclaimer** I own nothing.  
**Genre** Drama/Romance/Slash  
**Rating** PG-13  
**Summary** Hotohori and Nuriko are given an assignment where they spend one week with the other at their house, then go to the other's house for the week. What a pivitol two weeks they shall have.

I own nothing.

This will be the final chapter of _The Brother Project_ and I would like to thank all the reviewers from everywhere and also apologize for the slip and slide updates that have taken place all this time.

I'm glad that you all enjoyed this fanfiction.

Also if the style kinda has a few changes, just remember I've done a bit of growing in the past few months.

Uozumi

**_The Brother Project_**

Chapter Fourteen

They were sitting on a pier near a lake. The sun had yet to set, but it was getting close. They had an hour and a half to talk and then the park would close and whatever words had to be said would be lost forever.

Nuriko intertwined his fingers, sitting cross-legged. His braid hung over his shoulder and he sat as though he was deflated.

Hotohori chose to stand, hands in his pockets as he surveyed the lake around them. It was small with a trail around it. Behind them up on a grassy hill was a picnic area and the parking lot where Hotohori's car was parked.

"So how did this happen again? Isn't it odd to marry a son off to a man?"

"In our family," Hotohori stared out at the lake with Nuriko, neither wanting to look at the other, "when someone sleeps with another, it is a sign of - "

Nuriko glared up at him at that moment. "I didn't sleep with you! We were going to sleep seperatly - "

"Listen," Hothori held his hands up, speaking calmly, "I just know what our family thinks."

"'Our family?'" Nuriko glanced at him. "That only lasts until the weekend and then I go home, to my true home."

Hotohori sighed, then watched Nuriko turn away. "You've never protested before now. You could have said something the first time you heard it."

"You forget that I am their child at the moment," Nuriko responded bitterly. "I can't talk back to them. I've just had enough." Nuriko stood up and glanced over his shoulder at Hotohori. "When I become a Tiao again - not that I haven't ever not been one - I'm never going to speak to your family again. They have no right to tell me what to do. I will decide for myself."

Hotohori nodded. "Honored Mother thought as much."

Nuriko stared. "What do you mean?"

"She told me that this would be hard for you most likely. You 'lacked the diciplin to be a true Li' so she told me to be prepared for when you would 'crack.'"

"Well, I've done that," Nuriko replied. "I tried not to, trust me I did, but I just...I hate being told what to do by people who are not my family!"

"So what if they didn't tell you what to do? What if you could make your own choice?"

Nuriko eyed Hotohori. "You're acting weird."

Hotohori held his gaze until Nuriko looked away. "Fine, fine, fine...I've cracked like 'Honored Mother' predicted. I am not made to be a Li, and I am proud to say that."

Turning away, Nuriko murmured, "Let's go," before trudging up the hill to the car.

Miaka burst out of the theater's doors, her smile bright. "You always know what I like, Tamahome!"

Tamahome smiled and shrugged. "I just know that you've worn some sort of Peter Pan shirt since forever."

Miaka frowned then. "But you haven't known me since forever."

Tamahome shrugged again and led her to the car. "Well, it feels that way. Want something to eat?"

"Of course! I'm starving!"

**-**

Hotohori Li  
15 May 2003  
Mr. Miao  
Sociology

**The Brother Project**

Imagine coming from a family in which one has so many siblings, but at the same time has none. Everyone seems to be on their own path and they must take theirs, and none can converge. The parents stay distant and encourage everyone else in the family to do so as well even if the family takes meals together. When one grows up with such a situation, they become virtually alone.

For one week, I stayed with the Tiao family in a middle-class neighborhood. It opened my eyes to other perspectives and the idea of a close-knit family. I learned responsibilities there that I never encountered before in my life. The family worked as team to keep the house clean and keep it running. Coming from the home life I had, I learned how to do the dishes, vacuum, and other such chores. I now have a stronger respect for our maid who keeps up our home.

Another thing that differs from my home is how the family is run. In our family, there is so much formality. We address each other by "Honored Brother" or "Honored Third Sister" and other such titles. In the Tiao household, however, the use of nicknames and other such informal addresses were the norm. Another thing that was strikingly different was Mrs. Tiao. She was warm and open, and she wasn't afraid to ground me if I stepped out of line (which I never did). She was not what I expected, but after I started to adjust to this new family, I found it refreshing. My mother would never be so up front, would never be what I can only describe as openly loving. It's not to say that Honored Mother isn't loving, but there was what I can only describe as an openness and she left no questions as to if she loved her children unconditionally. 

If I had a chance to change families, I do not think I would. It is tantalizing to think that I could live in a family so different from my own. However, I cannot imagine a family without our stiff respect, our distance, and traditions. When one lives with such rigorous expectations and pressures, one cannot simply leave them. To become a member of the Tiao family would be comparable to moving to another country. There would be so much to learn and to adjust, and in the end, there would always be an attachment to their original country.

That is why I cannot think of living with any other family. It goes beyond the fact that I have personal duties to perform, because the Lis are my family and not the Tiaos. The blood in my veins is not the same as the blood flowing through Nuriko's veins, and that I think is what creates a bond of family in this type of situation. So even if I am alone sometimes and my family seems stiff, formal, and distant, I cannot help but stay a Li.

Nuriko Tiao  
May 15, 2003

**The Brother Project**

I do not want to be a Li. From the moment that I stepped into the house, from the moment I met Mrs. Li I knew that I did not want to be a Li. Yet, I had a project to do and thusly was held hostage in a crazy family's house for a week straight. The only thing that got me through the torture was Hotohori, which I think is the entire point of the brother project. The brother project is something deeper than just finding out what it is like to be a part of another family; it is about what it is like to rely on another person.

We started the week out at my house. Hotohori gave up such things as his fancy car, his servants, and a lot of other such perks of being a rich kid to really understand my family. We shared a very small room on two mattresses and it was a lot like when my older brother and I shared a room in our old house. I helped Hotohori with how to do the dishes and other menial chores that I have known how to do for years, and I think that now I am glad that I know how to do these chores.

Then after a week of seemingly normal routine with an extra person, I had to pack and move to the Li mansion for a week. The Li family is like no family I have ever seen even on television. The mother is definitely the dominant person in the entire house and she controls everything from her husband to even my own life and choice. It made me so happy that I was born into my family and not Hotohori's family. In my family I can make my own decisions, I can be candid and frank, and I certainly am not told who to marry and who to be friends with. The most degrading moment I think was at the beginning of the week when Mrs. Li bestowed her approval upon me. I felt so inadequate and I still wonder what would have happened had she not liked me.

So my decisions is definitely that I want to always and forever be a Tiao. Well, naturally, someday I will have to integrate myself into someone's family, but never will I ever have to completely to submit myself to anyone like this ever again. Even if I were to marry into the Li family, they could not take such control over me ever again.

In conclusion, I am and forever will be a Tiao, and if I ever were to marry into the Li family as Mrs. Li proclaims I shall, I will not take the Li name. Whoever I marry will take my name because the last thing I want in life is an invitation for a person to control my will.

**The End**


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